Southampton boss Ruben Selles admits it is getting more difficult to motivate players as relegation looms, but stressed everyone will continue to fight until the end of the season.
A 4-3 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Monday left the Saints on the brink of relegation, eight points adrift of safety at the bottom with just three games left.
A return to the Sky Bet Championship for the first time in since 2012 will be confirmed if Southampton fail to beat Fulham on Saturday or results elsewhere over the weekend go against them.
Despite the bleak outlook on the back of a 10-game winless run, Selles insists there is a determination to get the best possible results.
“It is our job and our privilege to fight until the very last minute and that is what we are going to do,” the Southampton boss said.
“We know it (relegation) is very close, but we still have our chances, it is not mathematically there.
“It is getting harder, of course, because the situation is not helping and it has been a tough week for us.
“We put all we have in against Nottingham Forest and we didn’t get the result that we wanted.
“Always when you get hit like that it is difficult to go to work the day after and to be super motivated, but I think we are in a good place that we can go tomorrow to compete and try to win the game.”
Selles accepts Saints could struggle to keep hold of key men like captain James Ward-Prowse in the Championship, but feels things are in place to be strong contenders for a swift promotion.
“I think the club has everything to bounce back very quick and be in the Premier League (again) the year after,” he said.
“We have our stadium with our fans that will support us, we have the organisation inside, the technical staff, the players and the future players, if it happens, that can help.
“We have a good structure with values, with philosophy and then it is just to put the things in place to go to the next chapter.”
Selles added at a press conference: “If we go to the Championship, of course we have players that the other teams in the Premier League will come and look for.
“It is not always easy to keep them for different reasons, in terms of budget or motivation for the player, so it is going to be (done on) a very individual case.”
Spanish coach Selles, who took over from Nathan Jones in mid-February on a deal until the end of the season, would like to stay and help the club rebuild.
“It is not for me to decide, but I would like to carry on in the Championship and bounce back to the Premier League in the year after,” he said.
“But right now we are just focusing on our daily job and trying to get the team being competitive tomorrow, and then we will talk about it if we need to talk about it at the end of the season.”
Emery revels in 'special day' as Villa seal Champions League qualification
Unai Emery says Aston Villa have achieved their dream after qualification for next season's Champions League was secured.
Tottenham's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday left Ange Postecoglou's fifth-place side five points behind Villa, who subsequently sealed a fourth-place finish with a game to spare.
More importantly, the Villans are back in UEFA's premier club competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season, when they suffered European Cup quarter-final elimination to Juventus.
Additionally, the club secured their highest top-flight finish since the 1995-96 campaign, which they also ended in fourth place.
Emery, whose side reached this season's Europa Conference League semi-finals, now has his sights set on Europe's top prize next season, in which he is demanding even more from his players.
"It's a very special day," the Spaniard told Villa's official media channels. "It was our dream when we started the season to be here. To play Champions League is, after the Premier League, the best.
"You can play in the Premier League against the best teams in the world, it's very difficult. When you are playing in the Champions League, you are playing against the best teams, at the same time, from other countries. And it's amazing.
"We know the history of Aston Villa is so long and so successful. Even in the Champions League, we knew the responsibility was to try to increase our level, try to be demanding and to dream.
"I want to enjoy more and, next year, the new challenge starts for us. To build a team again, and be strong to go and always increase our level; this is our objective."
'The serve to win Wimbledon' - Guardiola admits Man City pressure heading into final day
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will feel pressure similar to "the serve to win Wimbledon" when they look to secure the Premier League title on the final day of the season.
The Citizens took a giant stride towards clinching a record-breaking fourth successive top-flight crown with a 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday.
Erling Haaland struck twice in the second half as City leapfrogged Arsenal to top spot, while moving two points clear of the Gunners with one match remaining.
Guardiola's side, who welcome West Ham to the Etihad Stadium on the final day, are red-hot favourites to seal the deal with a victory, with Opta predicting they have an 84.3 per cent chance of winning the league now.
But the Spaniard admits it is not a foregone conclusion and will not be plain sailing, and highlighted similar memorable examples of where City have had to really dig deep to get over the line.
"The tennis players say 'the serve to win Wimbledon', the last game is the most difficult one," he told BBC Sport. "We know what we're playing for. The tension is there."
"[The players] were playing for the consequences of the result [in the first half against Tottenham]," he told reporters in his news conference. "When you do that, you are going to lose the Premier League. You cannot perform to your level. They are human beings, I understand the pressure.
"Not even Arsenal played well against Manchester United [the Gunners' 1-0 win at Old Trafford]. They knew if they did not win there, they would not win the Premier League. It will be the same on Sunday for us against West Ham.
"We will feel the pressure. Look at Aston Villa a few seasons ago, 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go. Sergio Aguero against QPR, went to 93 minutes. It is normal. That is why we talk and say everyone has to relax, and do what they have to do. That is all."
'The foundations are really fragile' - Postecoglou reeling after Spurs' defeat to Man City
Ange Postecoglou claimed the foundations at Tottenham are "really fragile" after a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City put paid to their Champions League qualification hopes.
Erling Haaland struck twice in the second half as City leapfrogged Spurs' bitter rivals Arsenal to return to the Premier League summit heading into the final day.
Postecoglou had been left flabbergasted in the build-up by Tottenham fans claiming they would be happy to lose to Pep Guardiola's side in order to dent the Gunners' title bid.
And while there was a generally flat atmosphere inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, home supporters were filmed celebrating City's opening goal while others chanted "are you watching Arsenal?"
The head coach, who was also captured arguing with a Spurs fan, was left far from impressed as his side's top-four hopes ended, with Aston Villa securing a place in next season's Champions League at their expense.
"The foundations are really fragile," he said. "The last 48 hours have shown me that. "It's inside the club, outside the club, everywhere. It's been an interesting exercise. It's just my observations.
"I can't dictate what people do. They're allowed to express themselves any way they want. But when we've got late winners in games, it's because the crowd has helped us.
"Maybe, I'm out of step, but I just don't care, I just want to win. I want to be successful at this football club; that's why I was brought in. So how other people want to feel, and what their priorities are, are of zero interest to me.
"I know what's important to build a winning team - that's what I need to concentrate on."
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