SAINTS manager Ruben Selles insists it would not have made any difference if he started with a natural number nine in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Ebere Eze scored both goals for the Eagles as they piled the pressure on Saints, who are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and four points adrift with seven games to go.

Selles has started each of the last two matches – a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City – without a recognised number nine, with the likes of Joe Aribo and Charly Alcaraz filling in.

They have failed to score in the two games, with the exception of substitute striker Sekou Mara, who netted a consolation effort versus City.

However, asked if it would have helped having a natural forward on the pitch against Palace, Selles insisted: “No, I don’t think it would make any difference.

“The way we arrived into the chances indicated that we don’t need a natural striker.

“Joe Aribo is a player who played as a striker in the final of the Europa League last year and that is why we chose him today to play in those spaces. I think he helped us a lot.

“We arrived to the situations but didn’t make it. Unfortunately, when they arrived into our box they made it and that was the difference today.”

Saints did create chances to threaten the Eagles, with Theo Walcott hitting the outside of the post in an even first half. Alcaraz hit the post from range towards the end of contest.

The Spaniard added: “We keep working on those things, working on the final third and the finishing actions – but we will not make excuses.

“If we are not able to score those situations, we need to be able to – as a team – defend the situations better and not concede the goals. That’s the balance we need to make.

“Of course, we need to be more relentless with the finishing actions in the final third and more relentless in dealing with situations in our own third.”