Captain James Ward-Prowse has “full confidence” Southampton can make a swift return to the Premier League following the pain of relegation.
Saints’ fate was sealed by Saturday’s listless 2-0 defeat to Fulham – a club-record 24th league loss in a single season.
England midfielder Ward-Prowse has been with Southampton since the age of eight but is already being linked with a summer move away from St Mary’s.
The 28-year-old, who insists he is “not thinking too far ahead” regarding his own future, is optimistic Saints will bounce back from surrendering the top-flight status they have held since 2012.
“(I’ve) full confidence, I think the club’s been there and done it,” he told Southampton’s website.
“The squad that we’ve got now is incredibly young and they’ve got a lot to learn.
“They will have learnt a lot from this year and next year I’m sure the club will be doing everything they can to be back in the Premier League.”
Southampton were precariously placed for much of a miserable campaign, having continually occupied the bottom three since early November.
Second-half goals from Fulham pair Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned Ruben Selles’ side to the drop with two games to spare.
Spaniard Selles was the team’s third manager this term following the sackings of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones.
Ward-Prowse concedes warning signs were present for a long time and admits Saints ultimately went down to the Sky Bet Championship with a whimper.
“It’s something, in all honesty, we’ve been fearing for a little while,” he said.
“Over the last couple of years we’ve not been performing at the level I believe we should be and I think this season’s caught up with us.
“There’s a way to lose games, there’s a way to maybe fail in sport and I think the way we’ve done it this year, that’s the disappointing way.
“I don’t feel we’ve really gone down with a fight and given everything we can.
“I feel for the fans because they don’t deserve to see what we’ve produced this season and that’s the sad thing.”
Victory for Fulham was a club-record 15th in a Premier League season to tighten their grip on a top-half spot.
Winger Harry Wilson, who was involved in each of the Cottagers’ goals on the south coast, hopes to increase the impressive points haul of 51 going into a home game against Crystal Palace and a trip to Manchester United.
“It’s not something I was aware of but it’s something we’ve earned throughout the season,” he said of the record.
“We’ve shown that we can win different ways, so to get 15 wins and the record is great.
“We’ll definitely enjoy them (the final two games) but we also know there’s a lot to play for and we want to make sure we get two wins.”
Substitute Mitrovic returned from his eight-match ban with a bang by heading home seven minutes after replacing fellow goalscorer Vinicius.
The Serbia striker was punished for grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during his side’s 3-1 FA Cup loss at Old Trafford in March.
Wilson is already eyeing revenge against United on the final weekend following the heated cup exit in which Mitrovic, Willian and manager Marco Silva were sent off.
“We were really good for 70 minutes and we all know what happened,” he said of that game.
“We feel like we kind of owe them one in a way because we felt on that day we maybe should have left with something.”
Mainoo one of three England players to pull out of Nations League squad
England have been dealt a triple injury blow before their Nations League matches, with Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ezri Konsa pulling out of the squad.
Earlier on Monday, the Three Lions were boosted by the confirmation that Harry Kane's injury against Eintracht Frankfurt was not serious, and he would be able to play a part in the October fixtures.
However, the trio did not arrive with the rest of the squad at St. George's Park, and Lee Carsley is not expected to call up any replacements.
Mainoo made his international debut earlier this year and has made 10 appearances for England, with one of those caps coming under Carsley against Ireland, but a knee injury that forced him off for Manchester United against Aston Villa will keep him out.
Konsa was also forced off in the second half of that match, having suffered a hamstring injury in the 0-0 draw.
Gibbs-White, who was handed his senior England debut by the manager last month, also sustained his issue on Sunday, in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. At under-21 level, the midfielder made 15 appearances under Carsley, with only six players featuring more under him.
England host Greece at Wembley on Thursday before travelling to Helsinki to face Finland on Sunday.
Dixon settling nicely into life at Charlton Athletic; excited to represent Reggae Boyz once again
Charlton Athletic and Jamaica striker Kaheim Dixon says he’s settling into life nicely in the English capital after his summer move from Arnett Gardens FC.
Dixon, who turned 20 on October 4, recently recorded a goal and an assist on his debut for Charlton’s Under 21s against Watford Under 21s.
“Settling in well. I’ve been getting support on and off the field. They’re treating me like family,” Dixon said of his time at Charlton so far in an interview with JFF Live on Monday.
Dixon says he’s also getting support from fellow 20-year-old Reggae Boy Karoy Anderson who has been at Charlton Athletic since 2013 and broke into the first team in 2022.
“Yes, that’s my guy as well. He’s looking out for me as a fellow Jamaican,” Dixon said.
Dixon has been selected to represent the Reggae Boyz in their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua and Honduras.
“It’s a great feeling coming back to the national camp to represent my country once again,” Dixon said.
“We’re looking to grab all six points from these games,” he added.
Jamaica will first take on Nicaragua on the road on October 10 before returning home to host Honduras on October 14.
The group held their first training session on Monday at Stadium East and will hold another one tomorrow.
“It was good, high intensity. Everyone was happy and smiling so I thought it was good,” Dixon said of the session on Monday.
Jamaica currently lead League A Group B of the Nations League with four points from two games, same as Nicaragua while Honduras are third on three.
Quansah signs new long-term Liverpool deal
Jarell Quansah has signed a long-term contract at Liverpool.
The defender has been at the club since the age of five and enjoyed an impressive breakout season under Jurgen Klopp last season.
He made 33 appearances in all competitions under the German and netted his first goal for the club in the Europa League in December against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Among Liverpool players in the Premier League last campaign, he made the joint-third most blocks (eight) and won 22 of his 25 tackles in the competition.
So far under Arne Slot, he has made just two appearances, playing the first half of their top-flight opener against Ipswich Town and the EFL Cup match against West Ham.
"I couldn't be happier at this minute," the 21-year-old told Liverpool's website.
"I think the way the new manager has come in; his coaching style has definitely been a massive part of that and I think it is the best club in the world for me to develop at and become a better player.
"I think the players around me, who I'm looking to work hard off and listen to, I think they're the best in the position at the minute. So, like I said, there is probably no better place I could be."
Liverpool are also reportedly in talks with Ibrahima Konate over a new contract, while the futures of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are all in the final year of their contracts, are still yet to be sorted.
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