Southampton denied rare victory by added-time equaliser from Matheus Franca | OneFootball

Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time goal for Crystal Palace denied Southampton only a third Premier League win of the season and left them on the brink of an unwanted record.

Substitute Franca’s late header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be relegated at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.

If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampton will be the first team to be consigned to the drop with seven matches still to play.

Even the 2007-08 Derby side, the low bar by which all poor Premier League teams are measured, had six games left, as did Huddersfield in 2019 and Sheffield United four seasons ago.

Saints did at least move on to double figures for the season, but they are still one shy of Derby’s record low total points tally of 11.

Palace arrived at St Mary’s on a five-match winning streak and buoyed by reaching the FA Cup semi-finals at the weekend, form which has seen manager Oliver Glasner linked with Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Looking for a seventh straight away win, they almost scored after 90 seconds when Jean-Philippe Mateta, still with his ear heavily strapped following that horror injury against Millwall last month, let fly from 25 yards and crashed his shot against the underside of the crossbar.

Palace had not conceded a goal away from home since Christmas, so it came as a bit of a shock when Saints took a 20th-minute lead.

Mateus Fernandes exchanged passes with Flynn Downes on the right before swinging in a cross for 6ft 7ins striker Paul Onuachu to bury his header.

“We are staying up,” came the chant from the home fans. “Say hello to Millwall” was the response from the Palace end.

Mateta looked certain to equalise in the 35th minute after spinning inside the area and sending a low shot goalwards, but Aaron Ramsdale got down to make a fine one-handed save.

After the break Ismaila Sarr burst forward and teed up Eberechi Eze, but the England forward’s angled finish hit the side-netting.

Eze skied a free-kick after he was wrestled to the floor by Downes before Eddie Nketiah was denied by Ramsdale with the rebound ricocheting off the striker and bouncing wide.

A groan went up when the fourth official signalled eight minutes of stoppage time, and moments later Palace had their equaliser.

You could almost hear the cheers from Derby when Jefferson Lerma’s cross was met with a header from Franca which squirmed between Ramsdale and his near post.

Palace almost grabbed a winner, which would have felt even crueller on Saints, but Nketiah’s snap-shot flew just over the crossbar.