Peter Crouch scored the only goal of the match as Stoke City recorded a 1-0 victory over Southampton on the final weekend of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign.
Crouch netted on the hour at St Mary's, with Stoke ending the season just two points, but five places, behind eighth-placed Southampton, who must now address the future of head coach Claude Puel.
Both teams managed 14 attempts during what was an open affair, but Stoke netted with just one of their three shots on target, with Crouch heading a Geoff Cameron cross past Saints stopper Fraser Forster in the 60th minute to decide the contest.
Ryan Bertrand had Southampton's best chance of the first period, but the former Chelsea defender just missed the post with a powerful strike in the 25th minute, while Xherdan Shaqiri passed up two decent opportunities for Stoke in the final stages of the first 45 minutes.
Manolo Gabbiadini twice came close to levelling for the home side late on, but the January signing from Napoli could not beat Jack Butland from close range in the 81st minute, before missing the post with a powerful strike moments later.
A little over 31,000 spectators watched the affair at St Mary's, and despite Southampton pushing for a leveller late on, it was the away side that held on to secure an impressive three points, and their 11th win of the 2016-17 Premier League season. League Cup finalists Southampton, meanwhile, finish down in eighth, some 15 points off seventh-placed Everton.
Matt Law
