Southampton’s 11-year stay in the Premier League ended meekly as they were beaten at home to Fulham to confirm relegation.

The hosts had few complaints about the result after a mediocre performance despite knowing they had to win to have a chance at the unlikely survival mission.

They did have Carlos Alcaraz’s goal disallowed for marginal offside before Vinicius broke the deadlock, but the confident Cottagers were comfortably the better side.

Willian’s first-half volley was saved by Brazilian compatriot Rianco, who had earlier been lucky to avoid a video assistant referee’s penalty check on his opponent’s ball.

But Vinicius nodded from Harrison Reed and Mitrovic after Lyanco’s clearance scored his 12th league goal of the season.

Southampton, lethargic throughout and unresponsive after falling behind, will play in the Championship next season for the first time since 2012.

sorry saints sink into second tier

Saints supporter and premier Rishi Sunak was also present on Saturday, but the empty seats at St Mary’s before kick-off suggested many fans had conceded the game was over.

Their fears were proven right when, at the final whistle, those empty chairs numbered in the thousands and some of the few who remained expressed their displeasure with interim boss Ruben Seles and his players. .

Southampton, who have picked up just three points from their last 33 games, have plummeted as some of their relegation rivals started to produce important and, in some cases, unexpected results.

However, most of the damage was done long before that game – with Southampton slipping into the relegation zone on 6 November Lost 4-1 at home to Newcastle and stay there.

them fire ralph hassenhut the day after that fiasco, but the ensuing unfortunate appointment of nathan jones For his successors achieved worse results than the Austrians oversaw.

The former Luton boss lost seven of his eight league games in charge – the only glimmer of hope being a 2-1 win over a then-unlucky Everton.

Jones was soon on eggshells with supporters following a home defeat by Brighton and relegation rivals Nottingham Forest, fired After a 2-1 loss to fellow 10-man Strivers Wolves on 11 February.

By then, the Saints had hit rock bottom, falling to 20th after the Boxing Day loss to Brighton, and have remained at the top of the table almost since.

Won two of Seles’ first three games in charge – both 1-0 victories against underperforming Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and a home win over fellow relegation candidates Special City – brings a glimmer of hope.

But crucial defeats to West Ham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, as well as a 3-1 lead after 88 minutes and a 3-3 draw with then-leaders Arsenal, dashed any hope of a successful escape up.

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