It’s been a season of ups and downs for Southampton.
The Saints have won six matches in cup competitions this season, although that number equals the number of their opening 26 league matches. The board finally gave in to the fans’ demands and got rid of Ralph Hessenhuttl but replaced him with Nathan Jones who didn’t even have time to get his hands on the club’s table tennis table before he was sacked.
One rather big negative is the team’s current status as the bottom side of the Premier League. However, Southampton are just three points away from safety with 11 matches of the season remaining.
Here’s what awaits Southampton as they try to finish the season up by not going down.
No team has needed to break their legendary tally of 40 points to stay in the Premier League since West Ham were relegated by a total of 42 points in 2003.
Over the past 10 seasons, teams have needed an average of 35 points to stay in England’s top flight – although Burnley dropped back into the Championship after amassing that many last season.
After 26 games of the current season, Southampton She collected 22 points – a surprisingly high total for a team bottom of the table so late in the year. In order to get 35 points, the Saints would have to average just over one tie per game (1.1 points) from their remaining scores.
After scoring at 0.85 points per game over the first seven months of the season, Southampton will need a slight boost in results but not a spectacular improvement.
West Ham x Southampton
Southampton return from the international break in March with a crucial away game to one of the few teams to drop points during their trip to St Mary’s.
Saints are the only ones Premier League The team that have done better on the road from home this season will aim for more points against 17th-placed West Ham after a 1-1 draw at South Coast in October.
Southampton / Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace and Southampton record the loss of relegation at the two ends of the nine Premier League standings that separate them only five points.
James Ward-Prowse and Wilfried Zaha will be able to renew their rivalry in a high-stakes case that is likely to see more than just these two old enemies dumped.
Southampton / Bournemouth
Some fans (Portsmouth fans) are quick to point out that this match is not the South Coast Derby. However, whatever rivalries exist will surely escalate given the precarious situation of both clubs.
Bournemouth beat Liverpool and were seconds away from picking up a point at Premier League leaders Arsenal but remain in the relegation zone. Southampton have taken Chelsea’s scalps home and away, but both need to perform against their closest rivals to extricate themselves from the muck.
Nottingham Forest – Southampton
In the final month of the season, Southampton are set to face three of the top eight members of the Premier League. Their latest encounter against one of their relegation rivals comes against them Nottingham Forest At the beginning of May.
While Southampton struggled desperately in front of their home fans, Forest transformed into a very different side when they got their feet wet in front of the City Ground crowd. However, the club’s first Premier League victory on the road in the 21st century came at Southampton’s St Mary’s in January.
With ardent Forest fans cheering them on, it will be a tough task for Southampton to avoid another defeat.
