Ronald Koeman insisted he saw a “positive” performance from his Saints team, despite losing 1-0 at Crystal Palace.

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Yohan Cabeye’s first half goal condemned Saints to defeat at a windswept Selhurst Park.

The result left Saints without a win in their last five games going into a St Mary’s double header against Tottenham and Arsenal.

“Positive,” said Koeman when asked for his assessment of the Saints performance.

“I think it was very difficult to play our football about the wind. It makes it difficult for both teams.

“Crystal Palace I think it’s a team who played a little bit more direct than Southampton and maybe that was the reason we had some difficulties in the beginning.

“After that we controlled the game, we had a good chance, a good header, not defensively good in closing gaps by the first goal, by the 1-0.

“The second half I think we played well, we dominated the game.

“Paulo had some good saves. I think both goalkeepers deserved a win about the performances what they showed, and the goalkeeper of Crystal Palace maybe a little bit more because the header of Davis and the last one, the header of Shane.

“That’s the reason I think we deserved one point.”

Koeman changed formation to play with three centre halves for the majority of the game, and explained: “One, a little bit more defensive strength about how they play, and you saw that most of the time with four deep strikers, two wingers, Bolasie and Wickham in front.

“If you play with four then it’s every time one-against-one, and one of the strengths of Crystal Palace and that was the reason to stop it, to play with an extra defender, to be a little more compact, and to have Shane and Sadio in front. Fast players.”