Southampton likened to "hungover Sunday league side" over horrendous mistakes vs Watford

Southampton contrived to concede a laughable opening goal in their 2-1 defeat by relegation-threatened Watford on Sunday and fans did not hold back in their criticism

Southampton have been compared to a “hungover Sunday league side” after conceding a shambolic goal in their 2-1 defeat by relegation-threatened Watford on Sunday.

Watford came into the fixture with just one win from their last 16 Premier League games, but left with a valuable three points in their bid to avoid the drop.

Their win owed a lot to Saints’ generous defence, who gift-wrapped Cucho Hernandez’s opener 14 minutes into the game.

Fraser Forster and Jan Bednarek played some ponderous balls around the back before Mohammed Salisu left his back-pass short for his goalkeeper, allowing Hernandez to nip in, round Forster and score.

It was shocking defending from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, who found themselves 2-0 down after 34 minutes when Hernandez smashed a powerful volley through Forster.

Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled a goal back from close range following a James Ward-Prowse free-kick, but the home team couldn’t find an equaliser in a sloppy second half to record a third straight defeat.

All fans were talking about after the match was the comical way in which Saints conceded the first goal.

“Surely not, wtf you’d think it was some hungover Sunday League side,” wrote one fan on Twitter.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Watford avoid the drop this season? Comment below.

“Ermm..looks pretty awful,” wrote one commenter.

“This defending is painful to watch... A disasterclass from Southampton,” added another.

“To call Southampton's defence sunday league quality would be too generous…” wrote one Saints fan on YouTube.

“What is that first goal?! None of them could kick the ball,” added another.

“Man alive what the hell what we're doing to concede that first goal,” wrote a Saints supporter.

Understandably, Hasenhuttl was not pleased by what he saw from his side at St Mary’s.

“With the ball we haven’t been good enough today,” he said.

“Not quick enough and not precise enough and against the ball we gave away chances in a very, very easy way. Overall, not a good enough performance.”

Despite their recent rotten form, which has seen them beaten by Aston Villa and Newcastle, Southampton remain 10th in the Premier League.

The vital win gives Watford renewed hope of avoiding relegation, with Roy Hodgson’s side now level on 22 points with Everton, who were beaten 1-0 at home by Wolves.