Jose Fonte has called on Southampton to stick together and trust each other ahead of hosting Crystal Palace in the Barclays Premier League on Tuesday.
Ronald Koeman has seen his side’s hopes of securing a European place dented in recent weeks with three defeats in their past five league matches, the latest a 1-0 setback at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Southampton slipped to sixth as a result, but Fonte, the club captain, took a step back to assess the club's season as a whole to underline how far they have come and what can still be achieved before Tuesday's match, which he called “massive”.
"As a club, we need to stick together because we've done fantastically until now and there are still 11 games to go. We all need to keep fighting," he told the club's YouTube channel. "We need to look at the bigger picture. We're still in a good position, and there's a lot to play for.
"We know where we want to be as a club, as a team and as a group of players, so Tuesday's game is massive. We have to trust each other and keep working hard on the training ground so that things turn around."
That turnaround could be aided by the return of striker Jay Rodriguez, whom Koeman expects to be back from a long-term knee injury this month, although Tuesday's match will likely come too soon. Toby Alderweireld could also return in after a month out with a hamstring problem.
After going a goal down after two minutes on Saturday, the Southampton manager opted for a change in shape by replacing Florin Gardos with Eljero Elia, and may continue with that system after it sparked an improvement.
Palace climbed to 12th with a 3-1 win at West Ham United on Saturday that lifted them eight points clear of the relegation zone. It was the club's fifth success in as many away matches in all competitions since Alan Pardew took charge, with that sequence including a 3-2 FA Cup triumph at St Mary's Stadium in January.
Palace will be without Glenn Murray as they plot a repeat performance after the striker was shown a red card to go with his two goals in Saturday's victory. It was a result that Pardew, a former Southampton manager, feels marked a big step towards Barclays Premier League safety.
"The away win was so important, it gives us a platform that if we win at least three of our home games we can stay in the division, and you can't really ask for any more than that at this stage in your second season in the Premier League," he told media after Saturday's match. "We have got ourselves in a great position and now we have to see it home."
Pardew could be without midfielder Jordon Mutch, who had to be withdrawn after just 33 minutes of action at West Ham, Yaya Sanogo, Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell are also on the sidelines.
Match Facts
In 11 matches, Crystal Palace have never beaten Southampton in the Barclays Premier League (W0 D4 L7).
It is five hours and four minutes since Southampton last scored a home goal at St Mary's.
Saints have dropped fewer points from winning positions (two) than any other team in the BPL, while only Tottenham Hotspur (16) have recovered more points from losing positions than Palace this season (15).
Southampton have conceded only one headed goal in the BPL this season, the fewest in the top division.
Southampton (from): K Davis, Forster, Gazzaniga, Alderweireld, Bertrand, Clyne, Fonte, Gape, Gardos, Targett, Yoshida, S Davis, Djuricic, Elia, Isgrove, Mane, McQueen, Reed, Schneiderlin, Tadic, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Gallagher, Long, Mayuka, Pelle, Rodriguez, Seager.
Crystal Palace (from): Hennessey, Kettings, Speroni, Dann, Delaney, Hangeland, Kelly, Mariappa, Souare, Ward, Bolasie, Jedinak, Ledley, Lee, McArthur, Mutch, Puncheon, Thomas, Williams, Ameobi, Anderson, Chamakh, Gayle, Sanogo, Zaha.
Match Appointments
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistants: A Garratt, M Wilkes
Fourth Official: R East
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