HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Vieira makes two changes, as Hughes and Edouard replace Schlupp and Eze.
• Edouard bursts through to open the scoring after 13 minutes.
• Ayew hits the bar from close range moments later.
• Ward-Prowse equalises for Southampton from a free-kick shortly before half-time.
• HT: Palace 1-1 Southampton
• Olise tests Bazunu early with low second-half drive.
• Armstrong dispossesses Guaita to give Southampton the lead after 68 minutes.
• Palace press for an equaliser as Zaha has penalty appeal denied.
• FT: Palace 1-2 Southampton

Palace started on the front foot and kept control of the ball in the early stages, with Will Hughes slotting into midfield and almost providing for Wilfried Zaha with an imaginative scoop over the Southampton back-line.

The Eagles pressed and probed, and soon they had their reward. It was the returning Odsonne Edouard, taking advantage of a lapse in concentration from the visitors to race in behind and slot calmly past Gavin Bazunu for the opener.

With the wind in their sales Palace pushed for another. Jordan Ayew was within centimetres of doubling the advantage, sliding desperately to make contact with Zaha’s low, drilled cross; he caught it with his studs and it cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and away.

Southampton’s threat from set-pieces is well known, and it was a wicked James Ward-Prowse delivery that got them back on level terms: an inswinging ball from the left that bounced over Vicente Guaita and in.

The visitors were perhaps a touch fortunate to be level at the break, but after the restart they were back under pressure. Palace drove forwards through Michael Olise and Zaha, but the Saints’ defence held firm.

Vieira’s side had defending of their own to do, and Samuel Edozie was a thorn in the side of both full-backs as the game progressed.

Then disaster struck. As Palace looked to play out from the back, Adam Armstrong charged down Guaita’s attempted clearance and was presented with an empty net; all he needed to do was roll the ball home.

Suddenly, the onus was on the Eagles to push forwards, and Vieira reacted by switching to a back three and introducing Jeff Schlupp and Ebere Eze to the attack. Zaha was the main source of danger, rounding Caleta-Car on several occasions, and was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty after being forced to the ground.

There was a wonderful spin that left Kyle Walker-Peters desperately lunging in, earning himself a yellow card, and a left-footed effort deflected narrowly over the crossbar.

For all their attacking endeavour, Palace couldn’t find the way through late on, and the final whistle confirmed Southampton’s place in the fourth round draw.

Palace: Guaita (GK), Clyne, Guéhi, Andersen, Ward (Schlupp, 74), Doucouré (Milivojevic, 64), Hughes (Eze, 74), Olise, Edouard (Mateta, 64), Zaha.

Subs: Johnstone (GK), Tomkins, Richards, Riedewald, Gordon.

Southampton: Bazunu (GK), Maitland-Niles, Lyanco, Caleta-Car, Aribo (Diallo, 86), Ward-Prowse, A. Armstrong (Djenepo, 86), Adams (Mara, 61), Perraud, Salisu, Edozie (Walker-Peters, 78).

Subs: Caballero (GK), Elyounoussi, Lavia, Morgan, Finnigan.