Are Southampton on course to become Premier League's worst ever team?

It has been a rough return to top-flight action for Southampton after their one-season stay in the Championship.

Russell Martin's refusal to compromise on his possession-based principles caused problems and he was sacked earlier this month with only one Premier League win under his belt.

The Saints have shipped 39 goals, with only Wolves and Leicester conceding more, and their 11 errors leading to goals is the most by a side across Europe's big five leagues this term.

The struggles continue at the other end of the pitch. Despite being ranked 16th for big chances created (37), Southampton have scored a league-low 12 goals.

With a mere two goals each, Cameron Archer, Joe Aribo, Tyler Dibling and Adam Armstrong are the leading contenders for the club's top scorer award.

Derby's 2007-08 season was so bad that Paul Jewell, who took charge of 24 games during that time, said his managerial career "never really recovered".

The Rams finished the campaign with the lowest points tally ever seen in the league (11) and a -69 goal difference. They won only one game.

Yet after 19 games they had seven points - one more than Southampton do now.

But Southampton can take heart from Sheffield United's 2020-21 season.

The Blades looked on course to replace Derby as the Premier League's worst team when they entered the season's halfway stage with just five points.

Unfortunately for Derby, Sheffield United - although they still finished bottom - had 23 points come the end of the season.

While Southampton's stats may not appear quite as concerning as Derby's, the numbers suggest Premier League survival isn't on the cards for the Saints.

In the last 122 years, only five teams have had six points or fewer at this stage in an English top flight season. All five went on to be relegated.

The Opta supercomputer has given Southampton a 0.7% chance of staying up.