Southampton face battle to avoid worst-ever Premier League record
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With just six points from 21 league games, Saints are in danger of breaking a record set by Derby County in 2008. By Ben McAleer for WhoScored. Ivan Juric’s appointment was supposed to make Southampton a more solid team. His predecessor, Russell Martin, implemented a possession-based style of football that worked wonders as the club made an immediate return to the Premier League last season.
![[Derby teammates Kenny Miller Roy Carroll fall out after another defeat in 2008]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/d445b2c9340f5542d257acc2d6927fe88e439714/4_0_1479_888/master/1479.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
However, his approach did not fare so well in the top flight. Martin was relieved of his duties last month following a 5-0 home defeat by Tottenham. Southampton conceded in the opening minute and things only got worse. They were bottom of the table with just five points from 16 games; it’s now six from 21.
A 0-0 draw at Fulham followed under the caretaker Simon Rusk and, while Saints have looked a bit tighter at the back, Juric has overseen four successive league defeats. Southampton showed real endeavour at Old Trafford on Thursday night, holding a 1-0 lead until the 82nd minute, but their eventual 3-1 defeat to Manchester United leaves them rooted to the foot of the table, 10 points off safety..
When the club appointed Juric just before Christmas, they said he would provide “the grit and determination needed to improve results”. Making Southampton a tougher team to break down is proving a difficult task. They performed admirably at Old Trafford, and only lost matches to West Ham and Crystal Palace by a single goal, but their 5-0 humbling by Brentford suggests the team are yet to turn a corner.
