Matheus França breaks his Premier League duck to save Palace's blushes

SOUTHAMPTON FC 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE

Report by Alessandro Schiavone at St Mary's

In theory this should have been a mismatch. But only in theory. Crystal Palace, fresh from progressing to the FA Cup semi-final and on a high, should have had too much for Championship-bound Southampton.

Yet Oliver Glasner's men made heavy work of this fixture and relied on a 92nd minute Matheus França header to snatch a draw.

Paul Onuachu had given relegation dead certs Southampton hopes of avoiding to go down as the worst-ever Premier League side after planting a bullet header into the net.

Saints now need at least two points from their next nine eight outings to stay clear of that unwanted record.

Palace flattered to deceive. They began brightly when Jean-Philippe Mateta crashed a long-ranger onto the underside of the crossbar with the game barely 90 seconds old.

Good on the ball and ingenious in transition and growing in confidence, Saints took the lead when Onuachu powered a header into the far corner from Matheus Fernandes' cross.

Ivan Juric's side battled bravely and kept it tight at the back. Aaron Ramsdale produced a fantastic save to deny Mateta on the turn after the hour-mark.

Onuachu could have extended Saints' lead but dragged his effort wide just as the first period was nearing its end.

The Eagles huffed and puffed and finally found the breakthrough when Matheus Franca replicated Mateta's gesture with an immaculste header.

Eddie Nketiah blazed a half-over on 94 minutes.

But that would probably have been too harsh on the hosts who deserve their point tonight.

Southampton FC

30 Ramsdale- 2 Walker-Peters- 3 Manning- 4 Downes- 5 Stephen’s- 6 Harwood-Bellis- 18 Fernandes- 20 Sulemana- 26 Ugochukwu- 32 Onuachu- 35 Bednarek

Crystal Palace

1 Henderson- 3 Mitchell- 5 Lacroix- 6 Guehi- 7 Sarr- 8 Lerma- 10 Eze- 12 Munoz- 14 Mateta- 17 Clyde- 20 Wharton