The relegation battle continues as Cardiff claims win over Fulham, while Palace, Norwich slip up

THE EPL relegation battle continues as Cardiff claimed a big win over Fulham, while Palace and Norwich stumbled.

CARDIFF defender Steven Caulker improved his side’s prospects of avoiding relegation from the Premier League as his brace clinched a crucial 3-1 win over fellow strugglers Fulham.

Caulker ended a Cardiff goal drought that had stretched to over 400 minutes in the league when he netted just before half-time in south Wales.

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On-loan Tottenham midfielder Lewis Holtby equalised for Fulham, but Caulker struck again before a Sascha Riether own goal ensured the end of Cardiff’s five-match winless run.

Cardiff remain in the relegation zone on goal difference, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will feel more optimistic about their survival chances after just their second league win since the former Manchester United striker took charge in January.

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In contrast, Fulham’s dismal display left them rooted to the bottom of the table after their 20th defeat in 29 league matches.

After dominating for much of the first half, Cardiff finally broke the deadlock in the 45th minute when Noone’s low cross reached captain Caulker, who had the simple task of slotting home from no more than two yards out.

It was Caulker’s third goal of the season and the previous two had both come in victories, including a rare away-day win at Fulham.

Fulham needed a stronger showing in the second half and Holtby led the charge with a volley that brought David Marshall into action.

Magath’s team equalised in the 59th minute when a corner from substitute Giorgos Karagounis was flicked on by Johnny Heitinga and Holtby tapped in for the first goal of his loan spell with the Cottagers.

But the visitors weren’t on level terms for long as Caulker rose to meet a corner and directed a downwards header past Stekelenburg’s weak attempted save in the 67th minute.

The decisive third goal arrived four minutes later when Noone’s cross caused havoc in the Fulham defence and Riether deflected into his own net.

News_Image_File: Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez condemns Crystal Palace to more relegation pressure.

In London, Crystal Palace remained mired in the relegation battle after Southampton beat them 1-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Jay Rodriguez’ first-half goal was enough to give Southampton only their fifth win in their last 18 Premier League matches and extended their unbeaten record with Palace in Premier League meetings to 10.

The result also left the Eagles just two points above the relegation places following a run of one point from the last nine on offer.

The visitors suffered a blow midway through the first-half when Jack Cork had to go off having fallen badly on his ankle and was replaced by Kenyan international Victor Wanyama.

However, they put the adjustment in their line-up behind them quickly and Rodriguez was on hand to open the scoring.

He beat Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni in a race to the ball and poked it home from 30 metres out, the Argentinian goalkeeper having come outside his area lamely tried to tackle him, after former Saints midfielder Jason Puncheon had put the home defence in trouble with an understrength header.

Southampton should have been 2-0 up by the break as Adam Lallana teed up Rickie Lambert but the England striker, with the goal begging, nonchalantly fired his shot against the post.

News_Image_File: Stoke’s Jonathan Walters gets his marching orders.

Elsewhere, Jonathan Walters scored but was then sent off as Stoke City held Norwich City to a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road.

Norwich were hoping to bounce back from their 4-1 defeat by Aston Villa last weekend and took a 56th-minute lead when Bradley Johnson headed in from a Robert Snodgrass free-kick.

Walters equalised from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, but the visitors finished the game with 10 men as he was shown a straight red card less than five minutes later for a high challenge on Alexander Tettey.

Stoke, 1-0 victors over Arsenal in their previous outing, increased the gap between themselves and the relegation zone to six points, with Norwich two points worse off in 15th place.

Both sides made one change from their previous outings, with Ricky van Wolfswinkel returning for Norwich after a knee injury and Peter Odemwingie replacing the suspended Charlie Adam for the Potters.

Stoke started the brighter of the two teams, with half-chances falling to Marko Arnautovic and Walters within the first 15 minutes.

Despite the away side having more possession, however, it was the Canaries who created the best chance of the first half, with Snodgrass forcing an acrobatic save from goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in the 29th minute after being found by Wes Hoolahan.

The second half started frantically for Begovic after a seemingly innocuous shot from Hoolahan squirmed through his hands, forcing the Bosnian to scramble the ball off the line and out for a corner.

It was to prove a temporary reprieve, though, as Norwich made their bright start to the second period count when Johnson turned in Snodgrass’s free-kick to claim his third goal of the season.

However, the away side levelled the scores after Sebastien Bassong was adjudged to have fouled on-loan Manchester City striker John Guidetti and Walters coolly beat John Ruddy from the spot.

It was the Republic of Ireland international’s fourth league goal of the season, but he went from hero to villain just five minutes later after he was dismissed for a studs-up lunge on Tettey.

Despite Norwich’s numerical advantage, the home side were unable to make their way through Stoke’s resolute defence, with Begovic proving himself equal to a shot from Nathan Redmond.