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CLAUDE Puel should be looking over his shoulder as the Premier League reaches its climax, with Saints on the brink of a bitterly disappointing finish.
The under-pressure St Mary’s chief has stated his side will be “more motivated” to play the leading sides and, so he should hope, with three of the top six still to play.
So far Saints have failed in nine league attempts to beat any of the big boys.
But they must now reverse that if they are to avoid a slump, which could see them drop to as low as two places above the relegation zone by the end of the campaign.
After the crushingly disappointing goalless draw against Hull, Puel’s men, who were booed off by their own fans in that one, sit precariously just above bottom half’s chasing pack.
Statements have been made from the Saints camp in recent times that eighth place is the ambition.
Instead of that, however, they should start to focus on what’s below them, because it’s really not beyond the realms of possibility that Saints could finish as low as 16th if current performances don’t relent.
With just weeks to go, Puel’s men sit just three points above Crystal Palace in 16th.
That is the same Palace that have been battling relegation for most of the season and even brought in great escapist Sam Allardyce to turn their ailing fortunes around.
In fact, without simply reciting the table, Saints are not in the comfortable position they’ve probably thought they were in.
No, they can’t be relegated, but this season is, without doubt, fizzing out into bitter disappointment.
Although they may have two games in hand against many of the teams below them, they still have Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United to play.
Those are three teams still gunning for a coveted Champions League spot and two of those must play at St Mary’s.
Only three clubs have won fewer games at home than Saints’ total of six this term. In their last eight they’ve won just two, losing four and drawing two.
SAINTS
May 7 Liverpool A
May 10 Arsenal H
May 13 Middlesboro A
May 17 Man United H
May 21 Stoke H
AFC BOURNEMOUTH
May 6 Stoke City H
May 13 Burnley H
May 21 Leicester A
LEICESTER
May 6 Watford H
May 13 Man City A
May 18 Tottenham H
STOKE
May 6 Bournemouth A
May 13 Arsenal H
May 21 Saints A
WATFORD
May 6 Leicester A
May 12 Everton A
May 15 Chelsea A
May 21 Man City H
BURNLEY
May 6 West Brom H
May 13 Bournemouth A
May 21 West Ham H
WEST HAM
May 5 Tottenham H
May 14 Liverpool H
May 21 Burnley A
CRYSTAL PALACE
May 6 Man City A
May 14 Hull H
May 21 Man United A
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