Southampton have been officially relegated from the English Premier League following their 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The club’s exit from the top flight was confirmed after a season-long struggle at the bottom of the table, where they have remained since early November.
The team has established an unwanted EPL record by becoming the earliest side in the competition’s history to face relegation, with their fate sealed on matchday 31.
This surpasses the previous record held jointly by Derby County and Huddersfield Town, who were both relegated on matchday 32 in their respective seasons.
Southampton currently sit on 10 points and need to acquire two more from their remaining seven fixtures to avoid equalling Derby County’s record low of 11 points set in the 2007/2008 campaign.
The Saints have suffered 25 defeats this season and must lose no more than three additional matches to stay clear of matching the record for most losses in a single top-flight season.
The relegation battle continues for other clubs with Leicester City occupying 19th position on 17 points from 30 games, whilst Ipswich Town sit three points ahead having played one additional match.
Wolverhampton Wanderers appear to have guaranteed their EPL status for next season, establishing a 12-point gap above the relegation zone with seven matches remaining.
Ivan Juric’s Southampton team will now focus on avoiding further unwanted records during their final fixtures before preparing for life in the Championship next season.
Their year-long stay in the top division ends after a campaign characterised by consistent struggles and an inability to find form throughout the season.
