Sutton's predictions: Southampton v Man Citypublished at 14:09 10 May
14:09 10 May
Manchester City have got the FA Cup final to look forward to next weekend but they also have a top-five place to secure, so there is no danger they will not be fully focused on that on Saturday.
After winning their past four league games, City also have some real momentum for the first time in a long while. You have to go back to August and early September for the last time they managed a run like that.
So I can only see one outcome at St Mary's Stadium, and it is going to leave Southampton stuck on 11 points for at least another week. The only question here really is how many goals City score.
Down with a fight or the t-worst team ever? published at 12:45 9 May
12:45 9 May
Image source, Getty Images
It is almost 17 years to the day that Derby County finished the 2007-08 Premier League season with a record lowest points total of 11.
The Rams ended their campaign with six straight defeats, which culminated in a 4-0 loss at home to Reading on the final day.
Southampton need one point from their final three games of this season to avoid sharing that record, but how easy will that be for a side with nine defeats in their last 11 games?
Rusk on Fernandes, dignity and Man Citypublished at 14:52 8 May
14:52 8 May
Alex Fletcher BBC Sport journalist
Southampton interim boss Simon Rusk has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Rusk hopes to have everyone available for the game and said his squad has a "fairly clean bill of health".
On Mateus Fernandes' availability after he was substituted against Leicester City: "He's recovered from last week [against Leicester] and he's trained well this week and hopefully he can put a good performance in for us on Saturday."
Asked about the defeat at King Power, Rusk said "it was a sore one" but that he wanted his side to "lick their wounds and get ready for the next one".
On whether there will be changes to his team: "When you get a bad result like that, there's a lot of work that feels undone and so we have to do the work again. We can't be victims and feel sorry for ourselves. My message to the players was that all we can do is take care of our actions. There are lots of reasons as to why you arrive at a starting XI but what I did say to the players was: 'Be at it'."
Rusk said that he wants to "finish the season on a high and build momentum": "[It's a chance] to end the season with as much dignity as possible."
On Manchester City: "What we are facing is the greatest team and greatest manager for nine or 10 years now. By their standards, they'll be disappointed that they haven't been in and around the title but when you look at their capabilities, you know we are going to be tested.
Rusk added that: "It's important we don't move in to fear territory in these games and instead we put our best foot forward."
Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne has been directly involved in more Premier League goals against Southampton (14 – four goals, 10 assists) than against any other side.
Only Ryan Giggs (12 v Manchester City and 12 v Newcastle) and Cesc Fabregas (11 v Tottenham) have more assists against an opponent in the competition than De Bruyne's 10 against the Saints.
City have won their past four Premier League games, their t-longest winning run of the season. They are looking to win back-to-back away league games for the first time since August.
'There's bottom, rock bottom - and then this'published at 12:42 6 May
12:42 6 May
Ray Hunt Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The white flag is being well and truly waved after another loss. This time to a poor Leicester side who had failed to score a home goal since December.
It was one of the most disappointing performances and results of the season, especially considering it was probably our final hope for any points.
It actually looked a positive start, until Jamie Vardy breached our wide open backline to end Leicester's goal-drought of 826 minutes at King Power Stadium.
When Jordan Ayew doubled the lead just before half-time, it effectively ended any hopes of a fightback. The last time Saints scored twice in a match was against Ipswich in February and have only managed it on four occasions this season. Only one of those yielded points. There is no belief that we can overturn any deficit. To not even push is one of the hardest things to take.
Simon Rusk itted he had as much chance of turning Southampton into a dynamic force in the Premier League as he did of achieving world peace.
All we ask is to match a struggling side and we could not even muster up enough effort, pride or confidence for that.
There's bottom, rock bottom and then there is this. We are guaranteed the 20th spot now, and with games against Manchester City and Arsenal at home left - both of whom are still playing for something - there is very little hope of expecting anything other than a hammering.
Everton's last hurrah at Goodison Park should also prove a stumbling block for this sorry season.
the final day against Liverpool in 2023? Any chance of that?
A 'growing disconnect' at Southamptonpublished at 13:39 5 May
13:39 5 May
Mark Scott Final Score reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Southampton fans have not had much to shout about this season - but they sang themselves hoarse about the decision to substitute Mateus Fernandes at Leicester City.
Interim boss Simon Rusk was on the defensive afterwards, explaining that it was not a tactical decision to bring off the fan favourite, but that was not the only grief Saints received.
The players also copped it from the travelling ers, with Rusk forced to deny that they had given up in the second half.
We already know that Saints require a massive overhaul in the summer, but there also seems to be a growing disconnect between the fans and the club. That could make life in an already difficult division next season an even bigger challenge.
'Gutless excuse of a performance' - fans on loss at Leicester published at 09:58 5 May
09:58 5 May
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Southampton's defeat at Leicester on Saturday.
Here are some of your comments:
Mark: That was a gutless, lazy, pathetic excuse of a performance from Saints. No effort, no desire to get forward, weird substitutions yet again. An absolute car crash display against the second-worst team.
Glenn: Terrible display. The players are supposed to be professional but all season game after game it hasn't changed. They must feel so embarrassed being the worst of the worst and the owners should take full responsibility for this.
Matt: An embarrassment to our city. An embarrassment to the Premier League. Ninety-nine per cent of that team can go, and I also wish we'd never been promoted.
Emil: No leader, no goalscorers, five consecutive poor and deluded managers, no captain, and in so many games this season, no clue. Russell Martin absolutely failed to prepare for the Premier League and left a squad only able to sideways and backwards. Totally unfit for 90 minutes of Premier League football. The worst season in my lifetime of ing them, spanning seven decades.
Lee: The side thoroughly deserves to the labelled the worst Premier League side of all time. Absolutely useless.
Ian: This was as bad as it has ever been. I have seen good times and bad as a Saints fan, but this has to be an all-time low. A complete lack of ion and fight, which, from a fan's perspective, is really unacceptable. I live in hope for next season in the Championship, but realistically live in fear of a second relegation unless we have a complete change of mindset and personnel.
Keith: Only three more matches of misery. Do teams do a lap of dishonour after the final match?
Jack: I watched Saints under Ian Branfoot, and that was terrible. This lot are worse.
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 12:34 4 May
12:34 4 May
Highlights and analysis from Saturday's Four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from Friday's game between Manchester City and Wolves.
Leicester 2-0 Southampton: Derby County watching onpublished at 18:36 3 May
18:36 3 May
Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The end of the season can not come fast enough for Southampton.
Even against the second-worst team in the Premier League, the Saints were outplayed and lacked any sort of cutting edge.
Leicester dominated and the game was put to bed when Jordan Ayew added the Foxes' second before before the break.
It is likely that many Derby County fans thought this was the game that would see Southampton move clear from their longstanding, unwanted points tally record.
But still the Saints stay on course to equal Derby's 11 points from the 2007-08 season.
One point will do the job, but where does it come from? Arsenal have been second-best in the league this season, while Manchester City have recovered from their blip and are chasing Champions League football.
It looks like the trip to Everton, who are winless in their last three, on the penultimate weekend of the season is the Saints' best hope to get that all-important point.
But whether they can do it or not is another story altogether. Interim boss Simon Rusk will certainly need his side to put on a better performance than what they showed at King Power Stadium.
'There is only so much you can do for confidence'published at 17:54 3 May
17:54 3 May
Image source, Getty Images
Simon Rusk spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Southampton's defeat against Leicester: "We started well in the game and we were disappointed with the fashion of the goal. It gave them life and in the end they were worthy of the win.
"We're bottom of the league and it's been a really difficult season. We're lacking confidence and there's only so much you can do for confidence really. We have to keep going. We didn't give up. We're hoping for that one goal that gets us back in it but it never came."
On last three matches to get over 11 points: "The points situation is the points situation. I have inherited seven games in difficult circumstances and I can only take it one game at a time. Hopefully we pick something up in these last three games."
Did you know?published at 17:40 3 May
17:40 3 May
Image source, Getty Images
Defeat in this match confirmed that Southampton will finish bottom of the Premier League this season. It's the third time that the Saints have finished last (also 2004-05 and 2022-23), the t-most of any side in the competition (Sunderland in 2002-03, 2005-06 and 2016-17).
Leicester 2-0 Southampton - send us your thoughtspublished at 17:02 3 May
Sutton's predictions: Leicester v Southamptonpublished at 11:06 3 May
11:06 3 May
Leicester have been rotten but, somehow, Southampton have been even worse.
It is sad to see Jamie Vardy leaving the Foxes at the end of the season, but maybe this might be the send-off he deserves. I am going with him to score the winner.
These two teams actually served up a thriller at St Mary's Stadium back in October, when Vardy got one of Leicester's goals as they fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
I am expecting the same outcome here, just with a lot less excitement. The readers will go for a draw, I am sure of it, but I am pretty confident about Leicester taking this one.