Saints take on Manchester City at St Mary's this evening with very few people giving them much hope of progressing to the semi finals, however for Southampton & their fans it is going to be more about the performance than the result and then see what happens.

Even if Manchester City put out a weakened side as could be highly likely given that they have an important game at Manchester United on Saturday, a game that they cannot afford to even drop a point in, if they are to keep in touching distance of leaders Arsenal.

So the first job for Saints is to put in a performance that their supporters can be proud of, this season has been a culmination of a couple of years of dissatisfaction in sections of the supporters base, the pride has gone out of supporting Southampton Football Club, those that stick up for the club are dismissed as happy clappers etc, for some the only pride they have had in their club is telling whoever will listen that they will not be bothering going to this game because there is no point and that they won't be renewing their season ticket.

I am not sticking up for the club here, I like many harbour doubts about the ability of Nathan Jones, but there is a bigger picture and that is staying in the Premier League and whilst that is still mathematically possible we have to stay with the team if not the manager.

Jones has made mistakes, he has been too arrogant perhaps, too sure of his own ability and he has found out that the level of the Premier League needs more than just some good ideas on the training ground, it needs true nous and man management, if you are at one of the big clubs you can rule your players by fear, but not at a club like Saints.

At Crystal Palace he perhaps showed he is realising the error of his ways, the after match comments showed he hadn't found humility, but he did at least play to our strengths and not try to play to force players into formations they are not comfortable with just to show that he can change formation.

So as I said the first job is to put in a good performance and then secondly see if we can get something out of the game.

Although City are second in the League, they are not the steam roller they were in the past, they have a tendency to take their eye off the ball from time to time, as was shown by the recent draw with Everton and in their last game before the World Cup their home defeat to Brentford.

But there is no doubt that they are still a top team and to get a result will be extremely difficult.

Nathan Jones himself has to have one eye on Saturday, if fact perhaps more so than Pep Guardiola, we travel to Everton and we quite frankly have to win, we need key players both fit and fresh for that one and that has to take precedence over this game, as much as we would like a semi final place.

So this is a game tonight that few are looking forward to, it is about getting it out of the way and doing so with both our pride and confidence intact.

Photo: Action Images

DorsetIan added 11:37 - Jan 11 As you say, Nick, at this stage we can't really do anything but try to keep the faith and hope for the best. This was one trip too far for me this season but I am still looking forward to watching it this evening on the telly. I guess by Sunday we'll know a bit more about the Nathan Jones project. Until then we just have to wish him well.
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SanMarco added 13:33 - Jan 11 Yes - we will almost certainly lose but we need to make them win it rather than hand it to them. I will be pleased if we make few mistakes and make Abu Dhabi City play well. Yes, this is a 'free hit' in terms of the result but we haven't got time for 'free hits' in terms of performance/tactics/formations etc.
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KriSaint added 13:33 - Jan 11 After watching the pre-match conference for tonights game I actually thought Nathan Jones did a good job answering all questions. The man is certainly not stupid, and I thought he was pretty humble too. Please, let's stay together as fans and support both our team and manager. Tonights game is in many ways a free hit, so let's save the nail biting for saturday when we meet (a very mediocre) Neverton and just give our players and manager some good, old noisy support as we - in my opinion - did so well at Selhurst Park.

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Monksway added 15:37 - Jan 11 Two big matches for Jones this week. A gritty performance tonight with fewer punts upfield, a bit of possession and quality on the ball will really help get the fans back onside. If that could develop into a win on Saturday, then maybe all is not lost. Alternatively another pub team performance, a battering by City and a loss to Everton and surely the game is up already.

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KriSaint added 16:12 - Jan 11 We have spent 20 mill. pounds in the January window (Saints January spending record?) if the Carlos Alcaraz rumour is correct. So......, we might have a better team pretty soon. Let's try to be positive, at least :) COME ON YOU SAINTS
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wessexman added 16:38 - Jan 11 Fans are perfectly entitled to voice their opinions. No one can convince me 2022 was a year some dreadful decisions were made culminating in appointing a rookie manager to get us out of an increasingly desperate position. Some of us go along with it whereas some of us have voted with our feet. Sunday will tell us where we are. Happen to think Ralph did wonders in keeping us up but that job engulfed him in the end. I cannot help thinking all Ralph's good work has been undone at a stroke. As for bedwetters and happy clippers...maybe, we are all entitled to make our choice as we see fit.

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