EPL: Crystal Palace 0-1 Southampton

Steven Davis ruins Roy Hodgson's return

Crystal Palace became the first team in Premier League history to lose their first five games without scoring as Roy Hodgson's tenure began with a 1-0 defeat to Southampton

Four days on from Frank de Boer's sacking, former England boss Hodgson was tasked with lifting the Eagles' early-season slump, but Steven Davis' early strike extended their miserable start to the season.

Virgil van Dijk made his first appearance since January 22 following his summer transfer saga, coming off the bench to see out a victory which lifts Saints momentarily up to fifth in the Premier League.

Palace, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the table ahead of games against Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.

The sense of optimism which surrounded Selhurst Park following Hodgson's appointment evaporated within six minutes as Wayne Hennessey parried Dusan Tadic's driven cross to the feet of Davis, who poked the ball home beyond the outstretched leg of Palace full-back Joel Ward

It proved to be a testing first half in the Palace hot-seat for Hodgson, whose misfiring attack added to his defensive concerns, with Christian Benteke firing Ruben Loftus-Cheek's cut-back straight at Fraser Forster on 18 minutes.

Chelsea loanee Loftus-Cheek provided a threat throughout, evading three Southampton defenders on 32 minutes, but his drive towards goal was blocked by Ryan Bertrand.

Saints remained on top though, as Tadic and Redmond almost doubled their lead before half-time.

Hodgson got into his side at the break and they responded with an early onslaught on the Southampton goal but, again, Forster proved impenetrable, thwarting Jason Puncheon with a sublime point-blank save on 49 minutes.

Southampton settled from there on, utilising Shane Long on the counter and containing Palace, whose threat in front of goal significantly reduced when Loftus-Cheek was substituted on 78 minutes.

Van Dijk then came on for the final three minutes, drawing a line under a summer of speculation which has seen him linked with Liverpool, to earn Saints their first win in three, piling the pressure on Hodgson in the process.