Saturday 17 January 2015 21:38, UK
Southampton can take another step towards their Champions League dream with a win at Newcastle on Saturday Night Football - but there's still a long, long way to go, says Jamie Redknapp.
If Southampton finish in the top four, it would be a life-changing achievement for their players and could transform the club.
Playing in the Champions League would fulfil lifetime ambitions for some of these players, while also giving Southampton the perfect opportunity to build on what they've already developed on the south coast.
The pressure is on Southampton because the rewards are massive. With that comes nerves and with nerves come mistakes.
They've got a good stadium, a good fan base and good, young players coming through. Champions League football would enable them to go to the next level and become a place where players could fulfil their ambitions, rather than seeing Southampton as a stepping stone.
It's the difference between having to sell Morgan Schneiderlin in the summer because he wants to be playing against the best in Europe, to saying to him, "why would you want to go to Tottenham or Arsenal when we've beaten them to a Champions League place?"
Southampton are currently sitting third and put down a marker in their past three Premier League games, with a point against Chelsea before wins over Arsenal and Manchester United. But there's still a long, long way to go.
A lot of people are doubtful about their ability to finish in the top four despite the great season they've had because they’ve never been down this route before. The pressure is on because the rewards are massive. With that comes nerves and with nerves come mistakes.
You also have to consider Arsenal - who are getting good players back from injury - and United. I think those two will finish in the top four, with Southampton missing out.
I’d love to be proved wrong, though - and that’s not because Southampton are one of my former clubs. It would make a change to see another club get that opportunity of Champions League football and for talented, young players such as Dusan Tadic, James Ward-Prowse, Schneiderlin and Graziano Pelle to go up against Europe’s best.
But wherever Southampton finish, it’s phenomenal what they’ve done this season. Don’t forget, people were tipping them to go down at the start of the season.
They’ll face another test of their top-four credentials on Saturday Night Football at Newcastle because they are without three key players from the spine of their team due to injury. Toby Alderweireld, Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama are all set to miss out and that will examine their strength in depth.
Added to that, Newcastle, who were incredible for 40-odd minutes against Chelsea last week and could have been 2-0 or 3-0 up, have proved this season they can produce big performances. And they have a caretaker manager in John Carver who will be desperate to get a win, to show he can do the job full-time.
I think Southampton will just pip a tight game 2-1, though, and earn another three points towards their dream of Champions League football.
