Southampton manager Ivan Juric has called on his players to prove that they are not "the worst team in the history of Premier League."
Juric's team host Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening on nine points from 29 matches, two points from the lowest-ever total, set by Derby County who claimed only 11 points in 2007/08.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 |
Fulham
FUL
|
38 | -22 | 36 |
| 18 |
Reading
RDG
|
38 | -25 | 36 |
| 19 |
Birmingham
BIR
|
38 | -16 | 35 |
| 20 |
Derby
DER
|
38 | -69 | 11 |
"The team has to be competing and try to do our best," Juric said. "We have to be really motivated.
"I don't want it to be that we are the worst team in the history of Premier League."
Victory over Palace on Wednesday would achieve this goal, although they face one of the Premier League's form teams - the Eagles have won their last six away fixtures in all competitions without conceding.
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Whereas Southampton have lost their last five league matches, conceding a minimum of two goals in each game.
Saints suffered a 2-1 home defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, after which Juric conceded that his team were set to seal an immediate return to the Championship.
"We will go down, but [I want us to go down] with more fight, more dignity and more everything," Juric told BBC Match of the Day.
A 1-0 win for 17th-placed Wolves over West Ham United on Tuesday extended the gap between Southampton and Vitor Pereira's side to 20 points.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 |
West Ham
WHU
|
33 | -18 | 36 |
| 18 |
Ipswich
IPS
|
33 | -38 | 21 |
| 19 |
Leicester
LEI
|
33 | -46 | 18 |
| 20 |
Southampton
SOU
|
33 | -54 | 11 |
With nine matches remaining, Southampton could have their relegation confirmed as early as the weekend if results go against them.
Juric is keen for his team to lift themselves off the bottom before the end of the season. They are eight points adrift of Leicester City, in 19th, who have lost their last six consecutive Premier League matches.
"If we can be not the last on the table, we have to do our best, so in this moment, this is our goal," Juric added. "I think we are in good shape, we can do it and we will try to win the match."
Southampton will be without midfielder Will Smallbone, who has injured his groin. However, defenders Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are available and set to feature in Wednesday's encounter, the duo both sustaining knocks during the international break.
