Southampton

Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is wanted by Manchester United and West Ham. (Mirror), external

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Mark Scott
Final Score reporter

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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 supporters, 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.

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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 pass sideways and backwards. Totally unfit for 90 minutes of Premier League football. The worst season in my lifetime of supporting 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 passion 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.

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.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Everton 2-2 Ipswich

• Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth

The latest episode of the Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast has landed.

BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore and former Saints player Jo Tessem discuss Saturday's defeat against Leicester.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Emily Salley
BBC Sport journalist

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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.

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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."

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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 joint-most of any side in the competition (Sunderland in 2002-03, 2005-06 and 2016-17).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Leicester's performance

What did you make of Southampton's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies.

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Aston Villa v Fulham (12:30)

• Everton v Ipswich Town - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leicester City v Southampton

• Arsenal v Bournemouth (17:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Earlier, we asked you to name the current Southampton player from a series of clues.

The correct answer is Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Alex Fletcher
BBC Sport journalist

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With just four games to go in the Premier League this season relegation has been decided.

For the second season in a row, all three promoted clubs have been sent straight back down, and 14 points separates those in the relegation zone and 17th placed West Ham.

Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town have just 10 wins between them this season, and there is still a chance that the Saints finish the campaign as the joint-worst Premier League team of all time.

But where did it all go wrong?

A struggle to survive

According to Opta, this is the worst combined points total of any group of promoted sides at this stage of the season in Premier League history

The three teams have only managed to get 50 points between them - after just 34 games - and are 14 points behind the previous record which was set last year by Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town.

While Leicester and Southampton have seen changes in the dugout this season, Ipswich have stuck with Kieran McKenna, but this has not changed their fortunes.

Between them, they have picked up just 21 points at home, with Southampton and Ipswich winning just once in-front of their own fans.

Promoted sides face 'more of a challenge'

And things look set to get even more difficult for those coming up from the Championship.

According to Opta, five of the lowest eight Premier League points totals for promoted sides after 34 games have come in the last eight years. Southampton are currently on the joint-lowest points total ever at this stage of the season, alongside Derby County.

Speaking before his sides relegation, Ipswich boss McKenna said the gap between the Premier League and the Championship "is getting bigger" and that "it's been getting more of a challenge for clubs to be able to bridge that".

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Southampton have faced more shots (605), more shots on target (234) and have a higher xG against tally (78.8) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

On the other hand, Leicester have had fewer shots (299), fewer shots on target (98) and a lower xG tally (29.2) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

Guess the current Southampton player from these three clues:

• I was part of the Saints team that won promotion from the Championship last season.

• I scored my first Premier League goal against Bournemouth.

• I made my international debut earlier this season.

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer

Sean Byrne
BBC Sport journalist

Simon Rusk has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Leicester City (kick-off 15:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On his squad's fitness: "Paul Onuachu has been training the last few days so he's back in the mix. We have a pretty clean bill of health at the moment."

• On their most recent game against Fulham: "Lots of really good things to build on. The first half we did really well to get ourselves ahead. It ended up a difficult one to take. But as I've spoken about, it's about making sure we find the balance of looking like a hard team to beat and having a footprint in the game. It was really nice to get a set-piece goal as well."

• On Ross Stewart, who made his first Southampton start in 203 days against Fulham: "I thought he did great. For how long he's been out, starting the game, and it was an intense game too. For him to get through it and be training again this week to try get in the starting team again on Saturday, what a great thing for him and a real positive from the day."

• On opponents Leicester: "They're a team that have some versatility to the way they play. Just like us, they will be drumming home that there's pride at stake. There's no easy Premier League games and although they may have had some difficult home form, they've picked up some decent results away from home. For us, it's about going in on the front foot and making sure we're in the best nick to beat our opponent."

• On if they would play a more attacking style against relegated opposition: "We have to be realistic about the situation I inherited. We've had some difficult results, we are bottom of the league, and we were never going to become solid and be dominant in the game. If we did that when I came in with seven games to go, I'd probably be able to bring world peace as well. I've had to pick a way for this team to play based on the evidence of the season."

• On Adam Lallana's future: "In terms of a playing decision, that's solely with him at the minute. Building up to this game he's on the coaching staff and that'll be a similar format this weekend as well."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Southampton defender Ryan Manning, speaking to BBC Radio Solent about not giving up on the club and planning for a better season: "We have to finish this season in a way that we can put it behind us.

"We are going to plan for next season and show the fans that we're going to fight, and we're going to show up and give them a season to be proud of.

"This is a massive football club and everyone in the changing room is committed to it. The opportunity to come here and play is something I never take for granted.

"Everyone is going to show up next season with the goal of getting the club back to where we want to be. It's not fair on the fans to just give up."

Listen to the full clip on BBC Sounds

Ray Hunt
Fan writer

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After saving a point at West Ham to equal Derby's worst Premier League points tally record, could we build on that positive and overtake that mark of 11?

For the most part, yes. We saw huge improvement in performance and for large portions of the match, we looked capable of competing with Premier League outfits. Even European-chasing ones. The vibes are as good as they have been all season. Simon Rusk has them playing with more desire, and personally, I am enjoying watching them more since he took temporary charge. We have yet to concede in the first half under his tutelage.

After ceding possession to Fulham, we struck inside 15 minutes with virtually our first attack and kept them without a registered shot on target in the first half.

Inevitably though, Fulham got what they needed - like so many before them. An injury-time dagger from Ryan Sessegnon condemned us to another defeat. The 27th of the campaign and 14th at home. Another goal in stoppage time to see the point(s) snatched away.

That is now 28 points dropped from winning positions and an all-too-familiar pattern from a season where we have conceded 11 goals after 90 minutes. That is almost one every three games and highlights our bench is not capable of saving games for us.

Contrast that with the past two home games against Aston Villa and Fulham where they have had four goals and an assist coming off their benches to make all the difference.

There is no 'Plan B'. When fatigue strikes, who can save points off the bench? If we sort this out, then things will improve. All we ask is to stay in games and be competitive. We will go in to Leicester with a slight wind in our sails and with something still to play for.

Find more from Ray Hunt at the In that Number podcast, external

Fulham are interested in signing full-back Kyle Walker-Peters on a free transfer when his Southampton contract expires this summer. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Southampton and Fulham at St Mary's.

Here are some of your replies:

Southampton fans

Chris: Utter dross. These are supposedly 'professional' footballers - I think they need to take a long hard look at themselves in the mirror. I've seen more skill and passion from non-league sides.

Oliver: A game of two halves - the nostalgic Southampton of then and the daunting Southampton of now. Simon Rusk has elevated us from 'that bad' to 'not that bad', and we looked like dominant for the first 45 minutes. Unfortunately, the second half underscored our disappointing season and the sad reality that lesser sides like Fulham, among others, have overtaken us. It left me with doubt that we could ever return to our glory days.

Bill: I'm not sure how many time Jan Bednarek has cost us points this season. I realise that at times he has saved us, but sadly neither he nor Jack Stephens are Premier League standard and they never have been. Our defence was tired and disorganised but I wasn't aware of any forwards having a pop at goal. If you don't shoot you won't score! I'm not sure why folk thought Ross Stewart was the prodigal son returning. I've not seen anything to persuade me of his value to the club. Sell him!

Marc: Stephens was a gladiator - he gave it his all. It's a shame the rest of his team couldn't be bothered. Super Jack Stephens.

Fulham fans

Matthew: A pretty poor performance, particularly in the first half. Many individual errors throughout the whole game and we were very lucky that Southampton had no threat. Credit where it's due for Southampton's gameplan, but also the Fulham substitutes were impactful. I also felt Southampton's substitute of Stewart for Cameron Archer really helped Fulham. A win is a win!

Richard: Three points, but what a struggle to get there. They are not likely to make Europe - they are just too inconsistent and conceding late goals has been their undoing.

Will: We never make it easy for ourselves. We need Crystal Palace to lose the FA Cup final for eighth place to be good enough. We need to do all that we can to keep our position.

Michael: I really can't understand why Marco Silva keeps playing Andreas Pereira because he makes very little contribution to the overall game. Time and time again he fails to make a decent cross from a corner and worse still his free kicks are consistently poor. His unnecessary tackle in the 17th minute gifted Southampton their first attempt. Time to go, I think.

Laura Kenyon
Final Score reporter

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As if Southampton did not already know just how brutal Premier League football can be, Ryan Sessegnon's late winner was a painful reminder.

As the clock ticked down, reporters watching on were primed to praise another point gained under interim boss, Simon Rusk.

A team, already relegated, but seemingly transformed – or at least much improved – under Rusk's leadership. Put the Fulham result aside, one cannot help but think Rusk is doing enough to at least be considered for the permanent role with Adam Lallana in tow.

Articulate press conferences, noticeable improvements on the pitch and the fans seeming to warm to him. In a season of negatives for Southampton, the emergence of Rusk into the limelight should be seen as a positive - even if he returns to his under-21s role.