Southampton relegated with loss at home to Fulham as PM Rishi Sunak watches on

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was all smiles in the director's box ahead of Southampton versus Fulham at St. Mary's, but there was no happy outcome for the Saints in a 2-0 defeat which confirmed their relegation to the Championship on Saturday.

Sunak, who is from Southampton, was in town for Saturday's Premier League match and looked in good spirits as he chatted to those around him before the game.

Southampton needed a win to have any chance of avoiding the drop with just three fixtures remaining and the Saints went in on level terms at the break.

But second-half goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned the south-coast club to a 24th defeat in their 36 Premier League games this season and means they will be playing Championship football next term.

The Saints, who had three managers in a disastrous campaign, are now almost certain to finish bottom of the table as well.

With two games left to play, they sit in last place with just 24 points, six points behind 19th-placed Leicester having played one more match than the Foxes and with a vastly inferior goal difference.

Southampton returned to the Premier League in 2012 and have been in the top-flight for the last 11 seasons, but will now need to work their way back again after this latest setback.