- Davis scores on 200th appearance
- Palace lose fifth-straight
- Roy Hodgson loses first game in charge
- Palace set new record for goalless start
Southampton beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday as Steven Davis’ first half strike was enough to separate the teams.
In his first game in charge of the Eagles after replacing Frank de Boer earlier this week, Roy Hodgson couldn’t turn Palace’s fortunes around as they’ve now set a new record as the first team in top-flight history to fail to score and lose all of their first five games to open a season.
The Eagles rarely threatened but Southampton’s Fraser Forster did step up either side of half time to make blocks from close range.
Palace have zero points and zero goals and face trips to Manchester City and Manchester United coming up next with Chelsea at home after that, while Saints have eight points on the season and host Man United next weekend.
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It didn’t take long for Southampton to take the lead as a fluid move from the right saw Dusan Tadic cross and the ball rebounded to Davis who slotted home.
Forster then made a great save as a slip from Nathan Redmond allowed Palace to attack down the right but Christian Benteke’s shot was blocked by Forster.
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Palace went close as Ruben Loftus-Cheek smashed a low effort just wide but Saints continued to dominate possession as they went in ahead at the break.
489 - Steven Davis' last Premier League goal was 489 days ago, also against Crystal Palace on 15th May 2016. Haunt.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 16, 2017
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At the start of the second half Palace went agonizingly close to scoring an equalizer but Forster again denied the Eagles with Jason Puncheon’s shot blocked by the England international goalkeeper.
Saints came back into the game as Shane Long just failed to connect with a header and Oriol Romeu also nodded wide.
5 - Crystal Palace are the first side in English top-flight history to open the season with five defeats and no goals scored. Woe. pic.twitter.com/umoc2RwDdb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 16, 2017
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Dutch defenders Virgil van Dijk came on in the closing stages for Southampton and made his first appearance since Jan. 22 after suffering a foot injury and then handing in a transfer request over the summer.
Van Dijk helped Saints eased to victory in the closing stages as they piled more misery on Palace.