Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.
Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.
If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampton will be the first team to be consigned to the drop with seven matches still to play.
Even the 2007-08 Derby side, the low bar by which all poor Premier League teams are measured, had six games left, as did Huddersfield in 2019 and Sheffield United four seasons ago.
Saints did at least move on to double figures for the season, but they are still one shy of Derby’s record low total points tally of 11.
Juric, whose side led through Paul Onuachu’s 20th-minute header, said: “I’m very proud of the way we played today and very disappointed we didn’t get the win because we did almost everything good.
“I’m really sorry for the fans and the guys that they didn’t win because I think they deserved it.
“It was just a moment. I kept feeling we were in control of the game, that we don’t risk anything. They didn’t create anything or were dangerous.
“I had a really good feeling and then they were good in the moment, they were good in the cross and other things.
“I think the players made a step forward. I had a very good feeling we could compete today.
“We gain one point, we have to prepare well the next game and if we play like this every game we will gain the points.
“We just have to find a way to perform on Sunday to make the fans happy and to try to do our best.”
Palace were looking for a seventh straight away win, but boss Oliver Glasner admitted their 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final success at Fulham on Saturday had taken its toll.
“It’s a very good point, especially how the game was,” he said. “It was tough, I think everyone could see it.
“You could see we were not at our top level. I think we were mentally tired after the big win at Fulham.
“It’s nothing to do with tired physically, we were fresh but we were mentally tired.
“We missed a little bit but I am really pleased with the point today and proud of the group because they felt it as well.
“A symbol of this game was a free-kick from Eberechi Eze when he kicked the ball into the stand and I think many teams wouldn’t have come back but this group of players came together and pushed each other on the pitch.
“So I am really pleased about this spirit, about this togetherness. And today it was more about fighting for this point. And that’s why I’m really pleased.
“We have to stay humble, we can’t go everywhere and take it for granted we will get the win.”
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