Southampton 1 Manchester United 2: This time there was no Matthew le Tissier moment and no great escape. Not even Harry Redknapp's lucky angel could do the trick. Amid despair and chants against the chairman, Rupert Lowe, Southampton slid out of the top division yesterday after 27 years. They trust it will not take that long to return.

A win would have saved Southampton but that rarely looked likely, even though they went ahead, and major changes are inevitable. Redknapp is set to go and so are many players, with Antti Niemi and Peter Crouch notable departures. A number of supporters, including a small hardcore who stayed behind, vented their anger at the directors.

They blame Lowe and his board for relegation, particularly after the ill-fated appointments of Paul Sturrock and Steve Wigley and the failure to spend more on players. "We want Rupert out" and "Sack the board" were chanted once Southampton had lost. The players and management were applauded when they gathered on the pitch at the end.

Redknapp has told friends he will be leaving and claimed afterwards that that would mean retirement. "If I didn't stay I would finish definitely," he said.

If so, it would be a sad end to his managerial career. This was his first demotion from the top flight and capped a miserable season. He came here after feeling forced out of Portsmouth.

This was an unhappy end, too, for Graeme le Saux and Jamie Redknapp if, as expected, they retire.

Results elsewhere meant that for much of this match Southampton were safe, but two minutes changed everything. Brett Ormerod had a shot saved at 1-1 and then, as news came of West Bromwich's goal, Ruud van Nistelrooy headed the winner from Alan Smith's cross.

Southampton believed salvation might be theirs when a Le Saux corner went in at the far post off John O'Shea's knee with Roy Carroll stranded after 10 minutes. But it was scarcely a surprise when Darren Fletcher, untracked, neatly headed in O'Shea's cross.

A strong United looked capable of a second and van Nistelrooy's goal left Redknapp shattered. "Jim Smith just said to me I have never seen anybody in my whole career take it like you do - so badly," he said.

He was not alone in feeling devastated.