Crystal Palace vs Southampton: Eagles suffer in Wilfried Zaha's absence as Mark Hughes gets first win

Crystal Palace 0-2 Southampton: Goals from Danny Ings and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg gave the visitors all three points

Southampton recorded their first win of the season against an out-of-sorts Crystal Palace who again struggled in the absence of their talisman, Wilfried Zaha.

There was an air of mystery around Selhurst Park ahead of kick-off. Zaha, the player Palace fought so hard to keep this summer, was absent from the team with a damaged abductor muscle whilst the Ivory Coast had claimed a day before that he was omitted from their squad to play Rwanda “due to personal reasons.”

The Eagles’ all-time leading Premier League scorer had managed seven in his last nine games and Palace lost every game they played without him last season. The omens were not good and proved correct as goals from Danny Ings and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg bought Mark Hughes some breathing space.

He’d won only two of his 11 Premier League games as Southampton manager, despite managing to keep the club in the division last season and there has been some unease at the club’s early season form.

His players started well with Nathan Redmond’s deflected shot forcing Wayne Hennessey to tip over the bar in the opening minutes.

Shane Long was poised to open the scoring after 20 minutes after Mohamed Elyounoussi’s cross reached him six yards out before Mamadou Sakho’s excellent last-ditch block.

Selhurst was becoming restless as Palace surrendered possession easily and failed to create any early openings for Christian Benteke and Jordan Ayew, making his debut for the Eagles.

Finally they threatened when promising young full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka crossed for Benteke but the Belgian directed his header wide of the target.

Danny Ings scored his second goal in three games (Getty Images)

Hojbjerg had brought another fine stop out of Hennessey before Benteke twice appealed half-heartedly for penalties, protests which Martin Atkinson was quick to wave away.

Hennessey was soon called into action again. This time as his own midfielder, Luka Milivojevic threatened to head past him as he attempted to clear Elyounoussi’s free-kick.

Zaha’s absence was becoming more conspicuous as the game wore on with Southampton’s full-backs enjoying a far more comfortable afternoon than they might have expected.

The Saints took charge two minutes after the break as Danny Ings scored his second goal of the season.

It was a clever finish, through the legs of Hennessey, after Sakho had made a meal of trying to deal with Cedric Soares’ deep cross. Some justice for a player Saints released at the age of ten for being too small.

A slow-burner had burst into life and Milivojevic nearly found an immediate response as he curled a 25 yard shot against the crossbar.

The Saints then miraculously survived a goalmouth scramble which saw both Benteke and Patrick Van Aanholt come close to an equaliser.

Hopes of parity began to look remote as Southampton were awarded a penalty when Wan-Bissaka handled Charlie Austin’s goal-bound effort.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg wrapped things up as Palace pushed on late in the game (Getty Images)

But Austin’s effort was tame and Hennessey saved comfortably to his right.

With Palace pouring forward the visitors were beginning to find more space. Redmond got free down the left and struck low at goal. Hennessey saved well but the rebound fell to Elyounoussi whose flick struck the crossbar.

Palace were coming on strong in the dying moments and their former keeper Alex McCarthy saved superbly at point-blank range from Benteke’s header in the week that he was called into the England squad.

With every Palace player forward, Southampton exploited the ample space as Matt Targett broke clear down the left and squared for Hojbjerg who slid the ball simply beyond Hennessey to seal victory.

Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Hennessey; Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Sakho, Van Aanholt; Townsend, Milivojevic, McArthur; Townsend (Kouyate 67), Schlupp (Meyer 75); Benteke, Ayew (Sorloth 75).

Subs: Guaita, Ward, Puncheon, Riedewald.

Booked: Wan-Bissaka

Southampton (4-4-1-1): McCarthy; Cedric, Hoedt, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Elyounoussi (Targett 67), Lemina, Hojbjerg, Redmond; Ings (Romeu 77); Long (Austin 56).

Subs: Gunn, Yoshida, Davis, Ward-Prowse.

Booked: Vestergaard

Referee: Mr M Atkinson (West Yorkshire)