Southampton is certain to lose its place in the English Premier League at the end of the season, but the only question is whether it can earn six more points from 17 games or break an unwanted record.
After 21 games of the 2024-2025 season, Southampton has only collected six points from one victory and three draws. The lowest tally in a single EPL season is 11 points, set by the woeful Derby team back in 2007-2008.
So, can the Saints get at least six more points from their remaining games?
It depends on whether Ivan Juric can finally come to terms with the fast-paced English game. Juric must be wondering what he got himself into since accepting the job on Dec 21, 2024.
The Croat replaced Russell Martin, the man who helped the Saints earn promotion last season, but found it tough to marshal his troops in the rarefied air of the top flight. Martin won just one of his 16 matches in the EPL.
Southampton has been no better under Juric. In five league games since he took charge, they have suffered four losses against one draw. Juric’s only victory came in last week’s FA Cup third round, where they defeated Swansea 3-0.
This morning, Southampton lost 3-1 to Manchester United after conceding three goals in the last eight minutes.
Its inability to hold onto a lead is one reason Southampton finds itself at the bottom of the table, and there could be more bad news as key defender Kyle Walker-Peters could leave the club in the January transfer window instead of at the end of the season.
The defender is out of contract in the summer and could leave for free then, but several clubs are willing to pay a cut-price fee to take the England international this month.
Juric is against sanctioning a move as he knows Walker-Peters is the rock of a shaky defence that has already let in 47 goals, but he admitted it would be hard to hold onto him if a good offer comes in from Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester, or Everton.
Of the quartet, Walker-Peters may be interested in a move to Tottenham, his boyhood club, where he made 12 appearances before moving to Southampton.
The Saints face another tough test on Jan 19 as they will travel to Nottingham Forest. The former European champions are third in the table and have not lost a league game since a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Dec 5.
Forest has the joint second-best defensive record this season, conceding 20 goals – the same as Liverpool – and one more than Arsenal. It has also only lost two home games this season.
Fixtures (Malaysian time)
Jan 18
Newcastle vs Bournemouth (8.30pm)
West Ham vs Crystal Palace (11pm)
Brentford vs Liverpool (11pm)
Leicester vs Fulham (11pm)
Jan 19
Arsenal vs Aston Villa (1.30am)
Nottingham Forest vs Southampton (10pm)
Everton vs Tottenham (10pm)
Manchester United vs Brighton (10pm)
Jan 20
Ipswich vs Manchester City (12.30am)
Jan 21
Chelsea vs Wolves (4am)
