Southampton crash out of Premier League with seven games to play

Their fate was sealed on Sunday following a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A brace from Brennan Johnson in the first half, along with Mathys Tel's first-ever Premier League goal, ensured all three points for Spurs. Southampton's only response came from Mateus Fernandes, but it wasn't enough to prevent the inevitable.

The defeat marks a new low for the club, with Southampton now holding the record for the earliest relegation in the Premier League era. Previously, Ipswich Town and Derby County had been relegated with six matches remaining, in the 1994-95 and 2007-08 seasons, respectively.

Speaking after the match, Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale acknowledged the harsh reality of their situation. "We knew it was probably going to be inevitable at some point; we haven't been good enough all season," Ramsdale admitted. "We were dominated by the better team. We dug in in the second half, but it's a sad day and one that this group of players will learn from."

Despite the difficult circumstances, Ramsdale emphasized the need for the team to regain confidence as they prepare for life in the Championship next season. "We need wins, points, and performances. It has to come to a point where the fans are happy and singing," he said, praising those supporters who have continued to back the team through thick and thin.

With just seven games left, Southampton are also on course to finish with the lowest points tally in Premier League history. The infamous 2007-08 Derby County side recorded only 11 points that season, and Southampton are currently one point shy of matching that total. "We want to get as many points as we can until the end of the season," Ramsdale said.

"No one wants that record, and we will do what we can to avoid it."

The club's struggles this season were compounded by a managerial change in December, when Russell Martin was dismissed. His replacement, Ivan Juric, has yet to turn things around, with just one win from 13 matches at the helm and 11 losses in that period.

When asked about his future, Juric said, "No, now we will see everything. We are thinking just about the games now. We will see what everyone thinks and what I think. The fans deserve much more, and we have to understand all of the mistakes we've made and then create something really strong."

With their relegation confirmed, Southampton now face the reality of rebuilding in the Championship. Their next fixture will be at home against Aston Villa on April 12, where they'll look to salvage some pride and build momentum for their return to the second tier of English football.

The road ahead will be difficult, but for Southampton, it's now all about regrouping and moving forward from one of the club's most challenging seasons.