SAINTS went down with yet another whimper in yet another chance to rescue their Premier League season, as Crystal Palace ran out 2-0 winners at St Mary’s.

Ebere Eze scored both goals in the second period after a shared first half that garnered some promise. The second the first went in, everybody knew it was already over.

Saints threatened mainly through Charly Alcaraz before his substitution, but it was Palace who came closest to a third goal on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

It was the youngest manager in the Premier League versus the oldest as Ruben Selles (39) set up to face the returning Roy Hodgson (75), who had wins in his previous two games.

Selles needed a team to match the decisive and potentially perilous permutations of the result at St Mary’s that afternoon and called on Joe Aribo for his first league start of 2023.

He was the focal point of a fluid front four with Theo Walcott, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Alcaraz rotating around him – again, Selles named no recognised number nine.

Aribo fired over from a clever corner routine early in the game for a missed chance at a third Premier League goal despite his limited involvement since Ralph Hasenhuttl’s sacking.

Michael Olise thought he had opened the scoring when he rounded a hesitant Gavin Bazunu and slotted in, but the linesman’s flag was correctly up for a narrow offside.

Walcott also struck the outside of the post after an extended spell of pressure from Saints. However, it was Palace who ended the half the more comfortable team.

That prompted isolated pockets of frustration from supporters, with a few individuals even booing as Michael Oliver brought the first-half’s play to a close at 0-0.

The tension was not to be alleviated as Saints gifted their visitors the opening goal within 10 minutes of the second period.

Jordan Ayew, attempting to fizz one across the box, fired straight into Bazunu but the young Irishman only parried right into the path of Eze for his easiest goal of the season.

Selles responded with a double-change and introduced Moussa Djenepo and Paul Onuachu to the fray – the former setting up Sekou Mara for the goal last time against Manchester City.

Jan Bednarek was let off the hook for a second when he tried to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick but it was kept in and only narrowly escaped being turned home as it was rolled across.

However, the second came soon after. Eze weaved and muscled through the middle and struck low beyond Bazunu into the far corner to settle the match as a contest in the 68th minute.

Alcaraz thumped the post up the other end with a good effort from outside the area, before sending another tough chance over in a penalty box scramble.

Ayew should have scored a third after a slick passage of play through the static Saints defence but his powerful first-time strike from the edge of the area was well over.

In consecutive seasons – last year with Watford – it was the experienced Hodgson who had the last laugh at St Mary’s, with hardly any supporters even left to make their feelings known at full-time.

Saints: Bazunu; Maitland-Niles, Bednarek, Bella-Kotchap, Walker-Peters; Lavia, Ward-Prowse; Alcaraz (Edozie, 79), Kamaldeen (S Armstrong, 79), Walcott (Djenepo, 61), Aribo (Onuachu, 61).

Unused subs: Caleta-Car, Perraud, Elyounoussi, Mara, McCarthy (g/k).

Booked: Lavia, Bednarek.

Crystal Palace: Johnstone; Ward, Guehi (Tomkins, 90), Andersen, Mitchell; Doucoure (Milivojevic, 84), Schlupp (Lokonga, 84), Olise, Eze, Ayew (Mateta, 90), Edouard (Hughes, 74).

Unused subs: McArthur, Richards, Riedewald, Goodman (g/k).

Booked: Andersen.

Referee: Michael Oliver.

VAR: David Coote.