Tottenham Hotspur's Brennan Johnson (right) celebrates with James Maddison as Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale (left) and Jan Bednarek (centre) look dejected. Alamy Stock Photo
London Calling
Southampton set relegation record with Spurs defeat while Chelsea draw blank with Brentford
Saints’ return to the Championship confirmed with seven games still to play.
SOUTHAMPTON SURVIVAL’S BATTLE ended at Tottenham after a 3-1 defeat consigned them to relegation from the Premier League in record-breaking fashion.
Saints’ fate had felt inevitable for months, but a 2-1 victory for Wolves at bottom-three club Ipswich on Saturday opened up a 22-point gap to safety for the south coast club.
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It meant Ivan Juric’s team required a draw or win in north London to mathematically stay up for at least another week but a first-half brace from Brennan Johnson set the visitors on course for an immediate return to the Championship.
Mateus Fernandes grabbed a late consolation before Mathys Tel struck a stoppage-time penalty for Spurs as relegation with seven fixtures left gives Southampton a new Premier League record – while Derby and Huddersfield, in 2008 and 2019 respectively, had their fate sealed in March, both had only six matches to go.
Three points for Tottenham lifts some of the gloom around Ange Postecoglou’s side ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Also in London, Cole Palmer was left on the bench for almost an hour as Chelsea’s winless run on the road continued with a goalless draw at Brentford.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca raised eyebrows by leaving the England forward out of his starting line-up despite his side battling for a Champions League place.
They do have a Conference League quarter-final trip to Legia Warsaw on Thursday, but Maresca’s priorities seemed a little skewed following a pretty insipid stalemate.
When Palmer was eventually introduced he was unable to help break the deadlock, firing his only opportunity over the crossbar, in what was probably the most predictable draw of the season.
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Southampton set relegation record with Spurs defeat while Chelsea draw blank with Brentford
SOUTHAMPTON SURVIVAL’S BATTLE ended at Tottenham after a 3-1 defeat consigned them to relegation from the Premier League in record-breaking fashion.
Saints’ fate had felt inevitable for months, but a 2-1 victory for Wolves at bottom-three club Ipswich on Saturday opened up a 22-point gap to safety for the south coast club.
It meant Ivan Juric’s team required a draw or win in north London to mathematically stay up for at least another week but a first-half brace from Brennan Johnson set the visitors on course for an immediate return to the Championship.
Mateus Fernandes grabbed a late consolation before Mathys Tel struck a stoppage-time penalty for Spurs as relegation with seven fixtures left gives Southampton a new Premier League record – while Derby and Huddersfield, in 2008 and 2019 respectively, had their fate sealed in March, both had only six matches to go.
Three points for Tottenham lifts some of the gloom around Ange Postecoglou’s side ahead of Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Also in London, Cole Palmer was left on the bench for almost an hour as Chelsea’s winless run on the road continued with a goalless draw at Brentford.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca raised eyebrows by leaving the England forward out of his starting line-up despite his side battling for a Champions League place.
They do have a Conference League quarter-final trip to Legia Warsaw on Thursday, but Maresca’s priorities seemed a little skewed following a pretty insipid stalemate.
When Palmer was eventually introduced he was unable to help break the deadlock, firing his only opportunity over the crossbar, in what was probably the most predictable draw of the season.
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