Second-half goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned Southampton to defeat in front of their home fans at St Mary's. Ruben Selles' side have not won in 11 games and their relegation was confirmed with two games in hand (eight points from safety).
Coach Selles cannot save Southampton
The Saints are back in the second tier of English football for the first time in 11 years. They have spent much of this season bottom of the table and manager Selles has been unable to reverse a decline since replacing the sacked Nathan Jones in February.
Jones lasted just 14 games in charge as successor to Ralph Hasenhuttl, who was sacked by Southampton last November after four years in charge.
Warning signs of relegation have been there for some time for Southampton, who finished 15th in the previous two seasons and suffered a 9-0 defeat to Manchester United in February 2021.
Southampton become the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season
Southampton were the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a well-known Southampton fan, was at St Mary's to witness the final rites of the team's disappointing season.
With only two home wins this season, many Southampton fans were clearly resigned to their fate ahead of this game, as evidenced by the empty seats in some areas of the stadium. With Fulham in complete control of the game, there were even more empty stands as fans shuffled out before the final whistle. In contrast to Southampton’s misery, the win cemented Fulham’s position in the top half of the table.
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