Southampton are beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park

Forster missed an attempted clearance to allow Christian Bentke to turn the ball into the open net on 33 minutes, only for Saints to let in another, netted by James Tomkins, just three minutes later. Benteke rounded off a miserable game for Saints with another goal five minutes before full time.

Palace came into the game with manager Alan Pardew reportedly on the brink of the sack after six defeats in a row, but a loss at Selhurst Park means it is just one win in six in the top flight for Claude Puel.

The game got off to a fairly sedate start.

Palace, who so badly needed a victory, were certainly not over committing going forward and were happy to try and keep the ball at the back and then use their physical power to play direct.

Saints were trying to ensure Palace didn’t have time on the ball were attempting to press them high up the pitch.

It certainly wasn’t making for an enthralling spectacle and the first effort either side had on goal came on 16 minutes as Sofiane Boufal drove in a low shot from the edge of the area but it was blocked before it could do any damage.

Ryan Bertrand threatened with an effort from 20 yards six minutes later after Boufal had produced an outrageous piece of skill to get to the left by-line and cut the ball back, only for Palace to be clear it straight to the Saints left back.

He drove in a rasping shot but it took a deflection and hit the side netting.

Palace troubled Saints for the first time on 25 minutes as Wilfried Zaha swept in a cross from the right that picked out the near post run of Christian Benteke. The big striker produced a diving header to get to the ball first but steered his shot wide of the target.

Benteke could barely believe his luck when he was presented with an absolute gift of a goal to give Palace the lead on 33 minutes in a nightmare moment for Fraser Forster.

Jose Fonte rolled a back pass across the face of the six yard box to the Saints keeper which Benteke gently chased in.

Forster had to clear first time, but was not under huge pressure.

However, he pretty much managed to miss the ball altogether as it just took a slight deflection off his standing leg as his left produced an air shot, leaving Benteke with the opportunity to roll the ball into the open net from a few yards out.

It got even worse for Saints as they conceded a second goal just three minutes later.

This was equally as frustrating as it came from a set piece with Jason Puncheon’s left wing corner flicked on at the near post by Joe Ledley.

James Ward-Prowse was caught flat footed by the touch on and couldn’t clear from inside the six yard box and James Tomkins took full advantage to finish from close range.

Boufal tried to get a shell shocked Saints back into it with a curling effort from outside the area but Wayne Hennessey made a fairly comfortable save while Nathan Redmond fired wide moments later.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had half a chance to pull one back deep into first half stoppage time as a half cleared cross dropped to him at the far post but his tricky volley was sliced off target.

Palace started the second period on the front foot with Joel Ward getting off a shot from 20 yards that was straight at Forster.

Boufal had a chance from Redmond’s right wing cross at the other end but skied his far post volley well over the bar.

Palace were clearly not a side so high on confidence they were going to be able to just shut the game down, but Saints were really struggling to create much to turn the pressure up on them and expose any nerves that might exist after six top flight defeats in a row leading into the match.

Saints had lacked intensity throughout the game and needed a spark to try and lift them.

Puel attempted to provide that from the bench as he brought on Josh Sims for Hojbjerg on 59 minutes.

Cedric whipped in an excellent right wing cross moments later but Austin couldn’t get in a clean header to work Hennessey.

Sims had a sight of goal when Boufal fed him the ball on the overlap on the right. The youngster cut back onto his left foot inside the box but put his shot over the bar.

Bertrand did manage to test Hennessey with a near post effort from the left side of the box but the Palace keeper got down quickly to save.

Puel made a double change in a bid to try and make something happen with Shane Long and Sam McQueen replacing Boufal and Austin on 76 minutes.

Long made an immediate impact as he met Cedric’s cross with a header that Hennessey scrambled behind at his near post.

Moments later Virgil van Dijk flicked on Ward-Prowse’s header and it looped on to the top of the crossbar. The ball was only cleared to Jose Fonte 12 yards out but he slashed his shot wide.

Palace made their first change with ten minutes remaining as Bakary Sako came on for Andros Townsend.

Saints’ miserable afternoon was rounded off as they conceded another five minutes before full time.

A corner was cleared as far as James McArthur just outside the area and his shot took a deflection which saw the ball spin in behind.

Saints were stood still while Jason Puncheon reacted quickly to cut it back from the by-line to Benteke who had the simple task of finishing totally unmarked on the edge of the six yard box on a poor afternoon for Puel’s men.