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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin at St Mary’s Stadium

Southampton relegated after Vinícius and Mitrovic fire Fulham to victory

Southampton's Jan Bednarek looks dejected after their relegation was confirmed
Southampton's Jan Bednarek looks dejected after their relegation was confirmed. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images/Reuters

Amid forlorn hope, Southampton’s simple formula was to win or go down. Rishi Sunak was lending moral support from the executive seats but the prime minister will be watching his beloved Saints in next season’s EFL Championship, a place very rarely associated with economic growth and stable governance.

Carlos Vinícius’s goal and a comeback strike from Aleksandar Mitrovic brought to an end Southampton’s 11 years in the Premier League, including four successive top-eight finishes, salad days under Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman, when Saints’ widely admired setup churned out talent for a carrion elite to feed off.

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