Having been part of the Southampton side who avoided relegation with three consecutive victories at the end of 1998/99, Mark Hughes is hoping for a repeat as manager.
Southampton were in 19th ahead of their last three matches 19 years ago.
But, with Hughes in their front line, they beat Leicester City, Wimbledon and Everton to finish five points clear of the bottom three.
Now, Southampton are in 18th, one point from safety with three matches left.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |
Huddersfield
HUD
|
38 | -30 | 37 |
| 17 |
Southampton
SOU
|
38 | -19 | 36 |
| 18 |
Swansea
SWA
|
38 | -28 | 33 |
| 19 |
Stoke
STK
|
38 | -33 | 33 |
| 20 |
West Brom
WBA
|
38 | -25 | 31 |
Flashback
"My memory of that time was that everybody was together," says Hughes. "Everybody knew we were in a difficult situation but everybody stuck together – players, staff, and fans, most importantly.
"That’s what got us over the line then and, hopefully, we can do it the same this time."
Again, finishing with three victories would ensure Southampton’s top-flight status.
They visit Everton on Saturday before a crucial showdown next Tuesday against Swansea City, who are a place and a point above them.
Saints then host champions Manchester City on the final day, while 19th-placed Stoke City finish their campaign at Swansea in what could be another decisive fixture.
Remaining fixtures of bottom seven
| Club | MW37 | MW38 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BHA | MUN (H) | MCI (A) | LIV (A) |
| WHU | LEI (A) | MUN (H) | EVE (H) |
| HUD | MCI (A) | CHE (A) | ARS (H) |
| SWA | BOU (A) | SOU (H) | STK (H) |
| SOU | EVE (A) | SWA (A) | MCI (H) |
| STK | CRY (H) | SWA (A) | |
| WBA | TOT (H) | CRY (A) | |