southampton vs fulham

Fulham, aiming for European competition, will visit St. Mary's Stadium to face already-relegated Southampton in a Premier League match on Saturday afternoon. The previous encounter between these two teams ended in a goalless draw at Craven Cottage four months ago.

Southampton's relegation was confirmed on April 6, 2025, following a 3–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. This marked the earliest relegation in Premier League history, with the Saints dropping after just 31 games. Since then, interim manager Simon Rusk has overseen two matches, including a 1–1 draw against West Ham United, where Lesley Ugochukwu scored a stoppage-time equalizer. This result ensured Southampton would not set a new record for the lowest points total in Premier League history, matching Derby County's 2007–08 tally of 11 points. 

Despite their relegation, Southampton has a slim chance to avoid finishing last, trailing 19th-placed Leicester City by seven points. The Saints have struggled defensively, conceding 78 goals this season, just two shy of their worst-ever total in a league campaign. They are also at risk of becoming only the fourth team in Premier League history to lose at least 14 home matches in a single season. 

Fulham, on the other hand, has seen their European aspirations falter recently, losing four of their last six Premier League matches. Their most recent defeat came against Chelsea, where they squandered a one-goal lead to lose 2–1, conceding in the 83rd and 93rd minutes. Manager Marco Silva described the result as "very harsh" but acknowledged his team's poor second-half performance. Fulham currently sits ninth in the league, one point behind eighth-placed Bournemouth and nine points adrift of the top seven, with five games remaining.

The Cottagers have had mixed results against Southampton, winning two of their last three Premier League meetings, matching their total victories from the previous 11 encounters. However, Fulham has lost their last three away league matches, including defeats on the South Coast to Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth.

As both teams prepare for this fixture, Fulham will look to reignite their push for European qualification, while Southampton aims to restore some pride and avoid further unwanted records in their remaining matches.