After losing 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, April 6, Southampton FC was relegated from the Premier League. They became the first team in league history to be relegated first, with seven games remaining. The loss at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sealed their fate, bringing a dramatic and premature end to a dismal top-flight campaign.
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson struck twice in the first half to put Southampton on the back foot early, while a late goal from Mateus Fernandes offered only brief consolation. After Wellington fouled Johnson, Mathys Tel scored from the spot for Spurs to add a third, relegating Southampton to the Championship. Southampton are on the verge of matching Derby County’s all-time Premier League low of 11 points, which was set in the 2007-08 season, with just 11 points from 31 games. Ivan Juric, who took over for Russell Martin in December, had previously stated that the club’s only remaining objective was to avoid making a new Premier League low. Juric had stated prior to the match, “We are also trying to reform the scheme to conform with the current national needs.” Southampton’s relegation was effectively confirmed a day earlier when Wolves came from behind to beat Ipswich 2-1, leaving the Saints a massive 22 points adrift from safety. The club’s return to the Premier League was secured just 315 days earlier when they defeated Leeds in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. The attacking style of football that had helped Southampton succeed in the second division under former manager Russell Martin failed in the Premier League. Martin was demoted following Tottenham’s 5-0 defeat earlier in the season, and Juric was brought in to steer the ship. However, his appointment did not have any effect on the club’s current state, as Southampton has lost their last seven league games. The game in north London also served as a brief respite for Tottenham and manager Ange Postecoglou, who had been coming under more and more pressure due to poor results and protests by fans against chairman Daniel Levy. Spurs moved up to 13th place thanks to Johnson’s brace and Tel’s late penalty kick, which gave them a boost of confidence for their Europa League quarterfinal matchup with Eintracht Frankfurt. As the game came to a close, the Southampton fans who were present maintained their sense of humor by chanting “Que sera, sera… we’re going to Coventry.” One of the few moments of quality in a season that has otherwise been bleak was Fernandes’ well-taken goal in the 90th minute, when he chested down the ball and shot past Vicario. Knowing that their brief stint in the Premier League had come to an abrupt end, Juric and his players gave the traveling fans a standing ovation at the final whistle.
