For long periods this looked like we could lose the game and be plunged into the relegation mire, but we finally came good late on.
It was good to see Claude Puel start with Shane Long, but there is something clearly wrong somewhere in the fact that Martin Caceres was still not in the starting line up.
I am going to be blunt here and say that we gambled last night in the defence that we put out, Jack Stephens and Sam McQueen are Championship quality players at best and as good a club man that Yoshida is he is not true Premier League quality or a leader and it looked like it might cost us dearly when Palace hit us with sucker blow on the half hour mark.
That sucker blow saw Sam McQueen fail to cut out a through ball and within seconds they had whipped the ball in and were ahead for an undeserved lead.
Although we looked good going forward and created chances, the fact was Palace had a game plan and that was sit back hit us on the break and with set pieces.
Benteke bullied Yoshida and Stephens and this meant that although we had plenty of possession and chances, the fact that we had taken only the one on the stroke of half time meant that throughout the second half we looked frail at the back.
Although the Eagles sat back, whenever they attacked you felt they might score, on set pieces especially they dominated in the air and neither Yoshida or Stephens got to grips with them and it was luck rather than judgement that meant that we went into the final 10 minutes even.
In my book with 30 minutes to go (at least) we should have been bringing Caceres on to try to stem Palace's threat at set pieces, yet we did not make a substitution of any kind till the 87th minute.
Attacking wise I can understand that, the central midfield trio were all having outstanding games and the three attacking players were looking lively, it was hard to see how changing things would be an improvement, however defensively we creaked every time Palace got a set piece.
Yoshida's goal with 7 minutes to go was deserved for all our pressure and chances, however having scored it, Puel should have immediately changed things at the back, a good manager is pro active and not reactive.
On 87 minutes he brought Hojbjerg on for Steven Davis, this was a good change in that Davis had run himself into the ground, but it was in my book too little too late.
Ward Prowse's goal two minutes later sealed the game but looking at the game overall we gambled with our back four and it could have, like the Bournemouth game, gone either way.
Saints are a good side, but we are underperforming and when we look back on this season, yes it will be a case of injuries have had their affect, but there have been too many games like this that have been a case of going either way due to our frailties in the back four especially the centre.
This game went our way, but two many this season haven't and that is why although we are ninth, with the team we have we should be comfortably 8th and pushing Everton for 7th.
Ultimately Claude Puel's season will be defined by what he does in the final couple of month's, there have been moments early on when we have questioned his rotation policy, however he has seemingly turned full circle with that now and only makes changes either in the starting line up or substitutions sparingly.
There have been factors beyond his control, the Fonte issue for instance and the fact that we have lost key players like Austin, Van Dijk and Gabbiadini at vital times and for extended periods, however now he has to show us he can handle these situations.
Last night I think was more luck than judgement and remember I am not one of those who got on his back early in the season, I have counselled that we have to be patient and give him the season to show he has learnt from experience.
Last night though and in the game against Bournemouth I saw nothing to suggest that he had and that worries me.
It is not about his demeanor or his playing style, I think in the case of the latter that works fine going forward and with everyone fit it will score goals, however he doesn't seem able to be pro active and spot what is going wrong and deal with it before it costs us dearly, both on Saturday and last night it has only been luck, the woodwork and poor finishing that has meant that we have taken four points and not zero, if that had been the case then the league table would look very alarming this morning.