Southampton avoid tying Derby’s record for fewest points in a Premier League season

Southampton have avoided finishing with the joint-fewest Premier League points in the history of the competition following their goalless draw with Manchester City on Saturday.

After last month’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United, Southampton equalled Derby County’s record-low points tally of 11, which was set in the 2007-08 season, as their relegation to the Championship was confirmed.

Under-21 coach Simon Rusk is in charge of the south-coast side after they sacked Russell Martin and then Ivan Juric earlier in the campaign. Rusk’s side dented City’s Champions League hopes by securing a point to take their own tally to 12 — avoiding the record set by Derby.

The stalemate against City was only Southampton’s second clean sheet of the season. The other time their opponents failed to score in a match came in November, when Russell Martin’s side beat Everton 1-0.

Pep Guardiola’s City had several half-chances to score in the match but could not convert, despite the return of Erling Haaland to the starting line-up. The striker, who has scored 21 goals in the top-flight this season, had previously been sidelined for seven matches with an ankle injury.

City recorded 69 touches in Southampton’s box but only five shots on target, with Haaland only having one off-target effort in 90 minutes, a header in the second-half added time. Omar Marmoush, on as a substitute, also hit the bar in stoppage time.

Before his dismissal, Juric set Southampton the aim to avoid the tag of becoming the worst team in Premier League history.

“The team has to be competing and try to do our best,” the Croatian said at the start of APril. “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.

“If we can be not the last on the table, we have to do our best, so in this moment, this is our goal. I think we are in good shape, we can do it and we will try to win the match.”

Southampton face Everton and Arsenal in their final two matches of the season before returning to the Championship, a year on from their play-off final victory over Leeds United to earn promotion back to the top-flight.

(Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

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