Just 3 years ago there wasn't much between Saints and Crystal Palace, both had been solid mid table Premier League teams, however now the difference could not be more different with the Eagles soaring.

Games between Crystal Palace & Southampton were once close knit affairs with both clubs vying for the nig ground in the Premier League, up to 2022 Saints usually just shaded it, but since the arrival of Sport Republic in January 2022, the balance of power has well and truly changed and the Eagles have well and truly landed.

They arrive at St Mary looking forward to an FA Cup semi final and a winnable one at that and a top 10 Premier League finish in their sights.

So the pendulum has well and truly swung and Saints go into this game knowing that defeat would put them within sight of mathematical certain relegation, not that is anything other than nailed on anyway.

However it won't mean that it will definitely happen at the weekend, if Saints do remain on 9 points after this evening, that will mean that if they were to win their last 8 games they could still get 24 points to hit a maximum of 33 in total. But lets get real here the chances of beating Spurs at the weekend and Wolves losing at Ipswich to mean we are not mathematically relegated is slight.

Ironically though to find one positive thing going into this evening, Saints are the form team of the bottom 3, Leicester have lost their last 6 games, Ipswich gained just 1 point and we with our win at Portman Road have 3 points in that period.

But Ivan Juric never built on that result and therefore we go into this game with 5 straight defeats and in total disarray.

To be blunt there is no point in keeping Juric in the job, indeed it is now counter productive as we slip into further chaos under a manager who has lost the plot and arguably most of the squads confidence in him

No one can make an informed prediction of just what his team will be tonight, players go in and out of the team in a series of bizarre selections and substitutions that make things worse not better.

Rumours abound that Ross Stewart will make an appearance and even recent signing Victor Udoh who has impressed in the U21 games, but this is all clutching at straws and experienced professionals like Adam Lallana & Charlie Taylor are ignored by Juric.

The manager has called on his team to not become the worst team in the Premier League history, he would do well to look in the mirror, he is well on course to be the worst Premier League manager ever and assuming that he doesn't go on a late run of wins in the remaining 9 games, he will almost certainly go down as the worst ever Southampton manager of all time.

Nathan Jones possibly holds that record at the moment, at least in the eyes of Saints fans, but his 8 game reign yielded 3 points and Juric's record is now worse than that.

So there is not much hope going into this game and St Mary's is going to be strange tonight, for the first time this season for a League game, there are around 2,000 seats un sold, many season ticket holders have been saying on social media that they aren't going, there are going to be noticable empty seats and that should ring alarm bells with Dragan Solak, Phil Parsons & Johannes Spors.

It is just 11 months since the euphoria of the play offs last season and the morale in the Saints fanbase could not be more of a polar opposite than it is today.

Personally I am not impressed by those who go on social media to brag about not going or renewing season tickets, Ok it is a minority, but still a sizable one, whilst I don't criticise them for their viewpoint or decisions, if that is what they want to do, just do it quietly.

Last season Southampton FC gave us the best day in many fans lives in supporting the club, as fans we have to take the good and the bad, yes this is bad , but it can and will get better.

I've no problem with people dropping in and out in their support, but that isn't my way, I am not happy with the way that the club is being run at present on the footballing side, but it isn't all bad, I find it hard to support the club at present, but I still support the team.

Hopefully tonight will be the day when the team pull out a winning performance, perhaps in spite of the manager and not because of him.

The last two performances, the inevitable defeat at Liverpool was a close run game and not put beyond doubt till the last minute when the home side got a 3rd goal and the defeat to Wolves was also close and with leadership from the bench and on the pitch could have been much difference.

So in those games we stopped the rot a little, the answer is can Ivan Juric build on that, I fear the answer is no, but I hope that we have enough players in the side, who will play with determination and price to perhaps scrape a result, I'm not holding my breath and I suspect that if we do then Juric will soon hook off the key players as he did at Manchester united when he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

We cannot avoid relegation, but we can avoid being the worst ever team in the Premier League, this game is one that we could potentially win, if there in fact any games of that nature left, so perhaps it is time for a siege mentality to take hold and the fans get behind the team, not Sport Republic, not the club, but the team !

All Photos Via Reuters

wessexman added 09:38 - Apr 2 I don't think alarm bells will ring because of 2000 empty seats. I thought the last relegation was bad enough but this time round is pure comedy. Total ineptitude on top of total ignorance and buffoonery. I think our situation is now critical. These clowns are going to have to do some serious thinking and come up with workable solutions...starting with a suitable manager who is there for the long term. Have I got faith in this regime? On this showing, I fear for next season....

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Block8 added 09:53 - Apr 2 Nope, been sat here trying to think of a positive reply but it's bloody hard to conjure one up! Still be there though if I can get home in time!
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SanMarco added 10:23 - Apr 2 Could have done this yesterday (instead of the theme park thing) and predicted a win!! Even with a 'cup hangover' Palace will stroll to a victory tonight. Why did we sign Charlie Taylor??
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SaintPaulVW added 12:02 - Apr 2 Could have gone tonight but just couldn't face it. Enjoyed the game at Liverpool and I'd like to leave that as my final memory for this season. Squad is poor, new manager hasn't improved our performance(for whatever reason) Club is badly run and most players don't look interested. Hopefully this will mean that we play well and win tonight for the fans who show more gumption than me and actually attend. No idea who will play other than not Smallbone. Roll on next year as far as I am concerned.

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kenchilds70 added 14:43 - Apr 2 Most fans have accepted the inevitable this season and many have trepidation about the next. It would be a good time for Solak to draw on the inspiration of the Liebherr/Cortese team that made Southampton successful in the eyes of the fans. Offer the fans the hope that somewhere is a 5/10 year plan with its main aim of being a good mid-tabled Premier League outfit. Southampton will never compete in the top six but should consistently in the middle half dozen. Get the football right and the rest will surely follow.

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