Southampton slumped to within one point and one place above the relegation zone with their loss against Crystal Palace on Saturday, with the Saints having seen their three-match unbeaten run shredded on the road.

Although Ralph Hasenhuttl had endured a tough start to the season, it seemed as though form might be returning on the south coast that could pull them away from another season of peril. Last week’s result against Arsenal stood as a testament to this.

But unfortunately, despite his summer revolution where he brought in ten new faces all aged 25 and under, things seem to have stayed much the same.

However, it is the players who already resided at St Mary’s that have let the Austrian down thus far, with the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi yet to score in the Premier League.

Despite this, Adam Armstrong must shoulder the majority of the burden for Southampton’s lack of potency up front, given his £15m move last summer.

The “dynamic” 25-year-old – as described by former boss Tony Mowbray – struggled in his debut term in England’s top flight.

His return of just two goals was excusable, provided this season he would buck his ideas up and step up to shoulder some of the goalscoring burden held by Che Adams.

However, the former Newcastle United marksman seems intent on another awful campaign, as he has just one goal and one assist in 12 league games.

To his credit, the step up from Championship football is often one renowned for being difficult.

Even the most impressive players like Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins and Said Benhrama have all undergone teething periods after making their transfers.

But with Armstrong having scored 28 goals in just 40 league games in his final season in that division, there was hope he might be able to translate some of that further up the pyramid.

A figure who has certainly been given time, the expiry date on his free pass grows closer with each passing game.

The £47k-per-week earner must start firing soon, or else risk being deservedly and ruthlessly kept on the bench by Hasenhuttl in favour of a forward who can find the back of the net.

Indeed, the striker failed to play any minutes for the first time this season in the defeat to Palace, a damning indictment of how the manager now values him.