Daily Echo:

James Ward-Prowse scored for the third Premier League game in a row to earn Saints a point in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

After a disappointing first half in which Saints fell behind to a Wilfried Zaha goal, the team worked their way back into the match and equalised via the in-form 24-year-old.

Palace started off positively and Saints had a terrific diving defensive header just in front of his own goal from Jannik Vestergaard to thank for preventing an Eagles tap-in at the far post.

Moments later another Palace corner caused havoc and Saints were relieved to see the ball trickle just wide.

Palace were looking for any excuse to get the ball out to Wilfried Zaha on the left to have him try and ran at Yan Valery.

He did just that on 19 minutes and cut the ball across the face of the area to James McArthur but his sidefooted shot was awful and went harmlessly over.

It was certainly a flat and difficult start for Saints who were struggling to find much rhythm in their game.

Indeed, it was really all they could to keep it level. After Jan Bednarek had lost possession all too easily Jack Stephens came to the rescue with an excellent sliding challenge to prevent Jordan Ayew.

Saints finally fashioned a half chance as Matt Targett’s left wing cross found Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg but it was a difficult header and went well wide of the far post.

Hojbjerg had a much better opening on 24 minutes as Danny Ings won the ball on the right and slid a pass across to the midfielder. Hojbjerg had the chance for a first time shot from the edge of the area but it was fairly central and Vicente Guaita got down to his left to save.

Those moments were though a small blip in what had otherwise been a disappointing half for Saints and it was rounded off as Palace took the lead four minutes before the break.

Saints had resisted several waves of pressure but were eventually caught out as Andros Townsend just managed to get the ball to the left before he was chopped down by Oriol Romeu.

It found Zaha in the area and he jinked back on to his right foot to buy himself a yard to drill a low shot past Alex McCarthy at his near post.

Saints did begin the second period with more purpose and a driving run and shot from Ings found the target but it was straight at Guaita.

There was a scare as Palace got the ball in the net through Mamadou Sakho but referee Andre Marriner reprieved Saints by awarding a free kick for a foul on McCarthy in the build-up.

Palace certainly changed their intent with a lead to hold on to.

They were much more content to sit deep and, in fairness, were extremely well organised and hard to break down, and with their pace well equipped to play on the counter attack.

Saints were struggling desperately to make any impact on the game and were lucky not to fall further behind on 74 minutes as Sakho got in a sliced shot after a scramble in the box that had McCarthy beaten but not Bednarek who headed off the line.

Saints finally went to a back four to try and change things up for the closing stages with Moi Elyounoussi being introduced.

It paid instant dividends as Saints levelled things up on 77 minutes.

Some nice interplay down the left got Targett in behind and he cut the ball back to Ward-Prowse whose run allowed him the time and space to finish low right footed past Guaita.

Saints were rejuvenated and Stuart Armstrong tested Guaita with a curling shot that needed a decent save.

Up the other end Sakho had the chance to punish Saints with a header from a corner but from a few yards out he put over the bar.

Saints were given a massive boost with three minutes remaining as Zaha got sent off in extraordinary circumstances.

He received a booking after a tussle with Ward-Prowse and then sarcastically applauded referee Marriner who considered it dissent and immediately produced a second yellow followed by a red.

Saints applied some late pressure but just quite have enough time to find a winner.