Nigerian stars Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu were among the key players who couldn’t prevent the Southampton from being relegated to Championship with unwanted records, Sports247 reports.
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Southampton FC’s relegation was officially confirmed from the English Premier League (EPL) after a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday,
The club has now earned the unfortunate record of becoming the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with seven games remaining.
The Matchday 31 result confirmed what had long seemed inevitable, as Southampton endured one of their worst campaigns in recent memory.
Southampton’s Premier League struggles began early in the season as the Saints managed just one win in their first 23 matches, losing eight of their opening nine games.
A mid-season managerial change brought in Ivan Juric, but even that failed to halt the decline. Under Juric, the team secured just one win in 14 matches.
Defensively, Southampton has been the worst in the league, conceding a league-high 74 goals.
Offensively, they’ve struggled as well, with only 23 goals scored in 31 games, the lowest in all four tiers of English professional football.
Their current 10-point tally matches the lowest ever recorded at this stage of a Premier League season.
Despite the club’s struggles, Joe Aribo and Paul Onuachu contributed a combined eight goals this season.
Aribo featured in 30 matches, scoring three times, while Onuachu added four goals and an assist in 21 appearances. However, their efforts weren’t enough to secure Premier League survival.
Head coach Ivan Juric addressed the media following the relegation confirmation, stating, “We have to avoid that record. Do our best. It cannot happen.”
Former Arsenal and current Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale added, “We want to get as many points as we can until the end of the season.”
With relegation to the Championship confirmed, both Aribo and Onuachu face uncertain futures.
The Nigerian internationals may look for transfers to remain in top-flight European football or prepare to help Southampton rebuild in England’s second tier.
