Southampton and Stoke City played out a largely uneventful goalless draw at St Mary's Stadium to remain in relegation trouble.
The Saints wasted their best opportunity through substitute Sofiane Boufal, who headed wide from seven yards out in the second half.
Stoke themselves had one or two half-chances, but in the end neither side could find a way through to leave them in the Premier League's bottom four.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded on the south coast with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Southampton and Stoke City at St Mary's Stadium. The visitors are a point adrift of their opponents heading into this huge relegation showdown, having won just one of their last nine top-flight outings, and could swap positions come 5pm this evening with all three points.
This really is a huge showdown at the bottom end of the Premier League, with victory no doubt the target for bottom relegation-threatened clubs. If rumours are to be believed it could well by Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino's final match at the helm, too, as he is said to be just one more bad result away from being sacked. Opposite number Paul Lambert has had mixed success since taking over, meanwhile, losing just one of five.
SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: McCarthy, Cedric, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand, Lemina, Romeu, Sims, Tadic, Redmond, Carrillo
SUBS: Forster, Bednarek, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Boufal, Long, Gabbiadini
Just the one chance made by Pellegrino on the back of the meeting with Burnley last time out, as Josh Sims - impressive from the bench in that last outing - takes over from the benched James Ward-Prowse. Perhaps surprisingly, Manolo Gabbiadini is again overlooked for selection despite ending his 16-game goalless draw in the 1-1 draw a week ago. The Italian striker last netted in consecutive games in March 2017 when scoring his first four games for the club - since then his record has been less impressive, it is fair to say.
Steven Davis and Shane Long have been nursing minor injuries of late, and the former sits out this game entirely. Long is among the subs, however, providing cover for big-money January recruit Guido Carrillo, who needs to start truly justifying his fee. Charlie Austin is another striker who cannot be called upon for now, either, but hr is fast closing in on a welcome return to first-team action.
Carrillo is tasked with leading the Saints' line this evening, then, with support offered by Nathan Redmond, Dusan Tadic and Josh Sims, who is making his first Premier League start of the campaign. Mario Lemina, the latest Southampton star reportedly at risk of being poached, is also handed a starting spot in midfield, as is battler Oriol Romeu. Those Saints players will have to get seriously stuck in this evening - their Premier League future may well count on it.
STOKE CITY TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Butland, Martins Indi, Stafylidis, Bauer, Zouma, Cameron, Allen, Badou Ndiaye, Diouf, Choupo-Moting, Shaqiri
SUBS: Haugaard, Johnson, Pieters, Shawcross, Fletcher, Jese, Crouch
In terms of the visitors, Lambert has opted to go with an unchanged side following last week's solid 1-1 draw at Leicester City. Ryan Shawcross was expected to be given the nod at centre-back after recovering from injury, but he has been left on the bench as Bruno Martins India is favoured for this test. No place for Saido Berahino in the squad, though - unsurprising when he recently ticked off the two-year mark since his last goal.
The likes of Jese, Glen Johnson and Darren Fletcher join Shawcross on the bench, while Jakob Haugaard provides cover between the sticks due to Lee Grant's wrist injury. The inclusion of Xherdan Shaqiri is a big positive for the visitors, as the Swiss playmaker has scored in each of his last three league games Shaqiri is arguably the one player on the pitch with problem ability to pull off something special.
Young winger Josh Sims makes his first Premier League start of the campaign, taking over from the benched James Ward-Prowse. That is the only change in personnel made by both managers, as Paul Lambert has stuck with the same XI that battled to a point at Leicester City a week ago.
The pressure is well and truly building on Pellegrino heading into this huge relegation showdown. The former Alaves boss is one of five managers from outside the top six not to have been sacked just yet, though that could well change should the Saints fail to get their way. Sixteenth in the Prem League table could quite easily become 14th in the division, which would give the club's board a big decision to make.
Rafael Benitez, David Wager, Eddie Howe and Chris Hughton are not likely to get sacked any time soon, so Pellegrino may well be the next top-flight manager to be left out of work. Southampton have somehow remained just about afloat of the relegation zone all season but, with 10 matches left to play, the south-coast outfit are at serious risk of dropping into the relegation zone.
Things are looking incredible bleak for West Bromich Albion, who are seven points adrift of safety and looking increasingly likely to relinquish their top-flight status. As Swansea City went a long way to showing last month, though, a couple of wins on the spin and all of a sudden the mood completely changes. There is, for example, just seven points between 19th-place Stoke and Everton in ninth.
There is certain to be plenty of movement in the bottom half of the division, however, whether today or a couple of months from now. Every points really is vital at this stage, particularly against a direct Premier League rival. The Saints' recent results have also taken a battering, with West Brom the only side they have defeated in the past few months, leaving them 16th in the table and level on points with the dropzone.
Since winning at The Hawthorns exactly a month ago, Southampton have lost at home to Liverpool and grabbed points at Burnley. Striker Gabbiadini got off the mark with his first goal in 16 matches in the second of those aforementioned pics, but he is made to settle for a place among the subs. The hosts are also through to the last eight of the FA Cup, with Wigan Athletic away up next.
Pellegrino has made clear that the Premier League remains the priority for the remainder of the season, understandably so, but reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup is a serious possibility that cannot be discarded entirely. Southampton have gone seven matches without a victory at St Mary's Stadium - a club record - and they still have both Manchester City and Chelsea to face here. A trip to Arsenal in also on the horizon for next month.
DID YOU KNOW? Southampton have the second-lowest win count in the Premier League, behind only basement boy West Bromwich Albion, tasting victory just five times all season under Mauricio Pellegrino. Too many games have been drawn, including against Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur and Watford in four of their last eight matches. Going further back, the Saints have won only three of their last 20 top-flight games.
RESULT! The full-time whistle has just blown at Turf Moor, where Burnley have recovered from a goal down to beat Everton 2-1 - their first victory of 2018. It is a big blow for Everton, who had hoped to draw level on points, with their opponents in seventh, though it does at least give both Southampton and Stoke City players something to aspire to.
Mauricio Pellegrino remains in the job at Southampton despite the Saints' disappointing results over the past 28 games. The Saints have the boast of having never dropped into the bottom three, though defeat this afternoon and that may very well change.
Stoke sit one point adrift of Southampton heading into this match on the south coast. Swansea City are also playing West Ham United this afternoon, so something has to give in that one, but Lambert will not want to reply on other results to keep his side up. Due to the tight nature of the Premier League, victory today and the visitors could well end the day level on point with Newcastle.
The Potters desperately need to start putting three-point hauls if they are to remain at the club next season. The 1-1 draw at Leicester City was a creditable result, though, and Lambert claimed after that clash that he is confident his side can climb up the division over these remaining couple of months. The visitors have, it must be remembered, lost just one of five under the Scotsman.
They have collected just six points from a possible 15 in that time, though, highlighting home many games they are drawing. The Potters have drawn to Leicester and Brighton & Hove Albion and, if you are into your betting, you would fancy this one to finish in a similar manner. Form has been pretty mixed under Lambert, who was seen as the third or fourth choice to take over from Mark Hughes last month.
A ward of caution for Stoke; after this winnable away trip they then take on Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham in three of their next four. There is also a trip to Liverpool to look forward to next month so, much like with today's opponents there is still plenty of tough games ahead before City can celebrate another year of top-flight football. Victory today will go a long way to bringing back the positive mood around the Potteries.
Interestingly enough, Stoke trave to Swansea on the final day of the campaign - chances are that could be a straight shootout to decide who remains in the Premier League and who drops down into the Championship. Stoke have one win from their last nine matches, and have conceded a league-high 54 goals since the start of the campaign. Furthermore, they have the joint-worst away record in the top flight, winning one and claiming just seven points in total.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Southampton have won just two of their previous 11 Premier League encounters with Stoke City, losing both of the last two - they have never lost three in a row. The Potters, who won 2-1 in the reverse fixture a little over five months ago, are now seeking a first league double in this fixture in 50 years.
Stoke have won on their last two visits to St Mary's Stadium, in fact, both by a 1-0 scoreline. Peter Crouch in particular enjoys this fixture, netting the winning goal in each of the last two meetings home and away. The English striker, linked with a shock move to Chelsea in January, have four top-flight goals against his former club. One more today and he will move outright as the Potters' leading all-time Premier League scorer.
With kickoff on the south coast now a little over five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Mauricio Pellegrino: "We have to put everything on the pitch, try to finish empty with our energy and give 100%. We need togetherness from every single fan, from every single player, to be together, to try to play our football and to be brave in character."
Paul Lambert: "Our form is really good. I can't fault the way the lads have played. Apart from individual errors we would have picked up six points from our last two games rather than just two. I don't have fear going into matches because of the way we are playing."
Pellegrino has urged his players to five everything this afternoon, then, as they go in search of a much-needed win. Southampton have been sleep walking their way to relegation for a while now, not helped by the loss of centre-back Virgil van Dijk in January, and must now put a halt to the alarming slide. They head into this match sitting 16th in the Premier League table.
Lambert claims that his side's form has been "really good", meanwhile, but a loss today will put a different slant on those past five results since the Scotsman took charge. All that matters for the Potters this season is survival and, with 10 games left to play this season, they have plenty of work left to do. First and foremost, they need to drag themselves out of the bottom three.
KICKOFF! We are up and running at St Mary's Stadium in this Saturday afternoon relegation six-pointer. A decent early attempt on target from Badou Ndiaye, which Alex McCarthy watched to collect down the middle in a simple enough fashion.
Great atmosphere around St Mary's Stadium this afternoon - the home fans know just how important it is their side get back to winning ways. Switzerland international Shaqiri with an impressive through-ball, which Diouf was unable to get on the end of.
Five minutes played and there is no an awful lot between the sides at this stage. Stoke have edged things on the whole, with their midfielders looking to create chances from deep. Stoke have lost just one of six matches under new boss Lambert, remember.
Diouf with an off-the-ball incident, which goes unpunished by the referee. Southampton's turn to probe away now, with Sims attempting to thread the ball through but only succeeding in finding the visiting goalkeeper Jack Butland.
A game lacking clear-cut chances thus far, but plenty of pressing from both teams and this one is looking likely to be an entertaining affair throughout. Southampton currently knocking the ball among their defenders and midfielders.
A very stretched feel to the match in the opening 11 minutes, which does tend to mean a quieter second half. Silky wideman Nathan Redmond gets to the byline, stands up a cross but is unable to pick out a teammate in a red and white top.
Hoedt goes right through the back of Cisse but somehow avoid seeing a yellow card. The Stoke man is currently down receiving some treatment and the substitution does look as though it will have to be used at this rate.
Treatment is still ongoing but there is no sign of Crouch joining the fray just yep. Many Stoke fans would have liked to have seen the English striking veteran to start this game, considering his record against the Jacks.
This stoppage is carrying on into a fifth minute now - Diouf will surely be unable to continue now. Could well be a broken arm for the Senegalese striker, who is likely to be replaced by Peter Crouch in a like-for-like alteration.
STOKE CITY SUB! Rather than bringing on Crouch for the injured Diouf, Lambert has instead brought on defender Erik Pieters. The Scotsman obviously does not want to play Crouch for more than 70 minutes of the match.
SHOT! Some really nice interplay from Tottenham, with Stafylidis smashing the ball wide of the target after being laid off 20 yards from goal. A lack of serious clear-cut chances so far in the opening 21 minutes of the match.
Stoke are playing the better football of the two without really managing to do much with the ball . Home fans can grovel all they want - the scoreline remains intact at 0-0 and Kelly has played a part in that. Another shot is sent high.
A number of shots being fired in at either end but nothing even close to testing McCarthy and/or Butland. Still only the one shot on target, with Ndiaye testing McCarthy via a decent attempt down the middle a little earlier. Well done.
Fast approaching the half-hour mark at St Mary's and it remains all to play for here. Normal time is due to be up in 18 minutes, but expect four or five minutes to be added on at the end due to Diouf's injury earlier in the half.
Plenty of holding in the Stoke box when the corner comes in, but the referee felt it was all legal. Joe Allen, one of the smallest players in the division, is again well positioned to hack the ball clear. Some more handbags, with Bauer involved.
Josh Sims injects some pace to drag then sends in a peach of a cross, which none of his opponents could reach. The match is now going through another of its quiet phases, as we edge closer to the half-time whistle.
Good work from Sims from that previous attack; just a shame it again came to so little. Hard to say Stoke deserve a lead, though I would argue that they have been the better of the two teams so far, 33 minutes into the contest.
YELLOW CARD! Geoff Cameron is the first player to enter the referee's book after overstretching and catching his opponent - appeared to be the correct call on an initial viewing, backed up by the use of a replay.
CLOSE! Shaqiri with the best pass of the afternoon so far, lofting the ball into the opposition box for Ndiaye to meet and send a header wide first time. Shaqiri has scored in each of his last three matches for the Potters.
Looking as though this first half is going to finish goalless, though there is still around 10 minutes to with the taxis, etc. Been a pretty disappointing opening 39 minutes for the neutral, with little in terms of goalmouth action to report back on.
Butland without a single save to make so far; McCarthy has made just one to keep out Ndiaye's early drive. Southampton win themselves a corner late on in the first half after sending a deflected shot wide. Five minutes expected to be added on here.
The ball is looped goalwards where McCarthy who has yet to really do a great deal. It might not have been the most entertaining of first halves here, but at least it has been pretty end-to-end stuff on the south coast.
We are into the first of five added-on minutes at the end of the first half, all due to the nasty injury sustained by Diouf Lambert did not bring on a striker for a striker, instead utilising defender Erik Pieters to possibly see us through.
Tadic strangely decides against going for goal in an attempt to keep the move alive. A word on Zouma and Martins Indi, keeping Shawcross out of the team - they have been very impressive so far, heading away pretty much everything.
HALF TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-0 STOKE CITY
The half-time whistle sounds at St Mary's Stadium, where we remain all square at 0-0 45 minutes in. Not a result that would suit either side on the face of it - both are after all three and need to do more if they are to get those valuable points.
Neither side could muster a serious attempt on target in the opening 45 minutes, with Badou Ndiaye's attempt down the middle for Alex McCarthy to keep out pretty much as good as things got. That shot arrived just a few minutes in, and Ndiaye would squander a better opportunity later in the half when glancing Xherdan Shaqiri's shot wide of the target.
There was a lengthy stoppage midway through the half for striker Mame Biram Diouf to receive treatment to a suspected shoulder injury, having been clattered into by Wesley Hoedt. Kostas Stafylidis was next to try his luck, sending the ball high and wide following some nice interplay from City, as the two sides went into the break all square.
So that is pretty much that from an uneventful opening 45 minutes at St Mary's Stadium. Paul Lambert has already been forced into one change, will he make a second before the second half gets under way?
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Forster, Bednarek, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Boufal, Long, Gabbiadini
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Johnson, Pieters, Shawcross, Fletcher, Jese, Crouch
RESTART! We are back up and running on the south coast and there is news of a second change to bring you - targetman Peter Crouch coming on for Stafylidis. Lambert this time deciding to throw an extra striker into the mix.
The second half has started in the same manner as the first - very little happening in the final third of the field at either end. Home fans urge Sims to get at his man but he soon loses control of the ball inside the box.
Crouch already leaving his mark on the game, controlling the ball with his chest, then his boot and then unleashing a volley towards goal. Could not quite find his range, however, and the ball ended up sailing wide of McCarthy's goal.
A stretched contest on our hands, as was the case in the first half, but unfortunately both teams are lacking quality - no wonder that they are marooned in the bottom four, really. Choupo-Moting with a shocker of an attempt, missing the target by a long way.
Fast approaching the hour mark at St Mary's Stadium and Pellegrino will surely be considering a change of personnel. Lambert has already made two alterations, so expect him to hold off for a bit before making the third.
More good build-up play from Southampton, but the final ball is so often lacking. This is certainly not a game that will be remembered down the years, though the result could play a huge part in who stays up and who goes down.
YELLOW CARD! Carrillo with a sloppy challenge from behind which he somehow gets away with, as the referee decide against reaching into his pocket. Pellegrino does not look likely to make any changes in the next few minutes.
SAVE! A rare save for Butland to make, getting down well to keep out a Sims shot from 18 yards out. Cedric pulled the ball back but the young winger could not quite place the ball into the bottom corner beyond Butland.
CHANCE! Best chance of the afternoon so far, as Crouch flicks the ball into the path of Choupo-Moting. The forward failed to keep his composure when through on goal, though, lofting it over McCarthy and into the stands.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Badou Ndiaye has got away with yet another one, this time after pulling his opponents down to the ground - a definite yellow. Gabbiadini is on for Tadic, with around 25 minutes of the contest left to play.
SAVE! Stoke the side creating the better openings, without being able to make the most of them. Butland finally with a meaningful stop to make, sticking out an arm to keep out Cedric Soares's drive from outside the box.
The match continues to be stretched as, after successfully defending Southampton's corner, Stoke attacked up the other end. Crouch could have delayed it and slipped through a teammate, but instead went for goal himself and dragged the ball wide.
Weak shouts for a Southampton handball penalty appeal rejected as there was simply so little distance between ball and hand. From the corner, a Stoke player for the last touch; the next corner also came to very little from the other side.
SAVES! The last 15 minutes or so have been far more entertaining than what we saw in the opening 57 or so, with Gabbiadini and then Redmond getting in shots on target, both of which Butland dealt with - not all that convincingly with the latter.
Good goalkeeping from Butland to get down to the ground and collect a cross before an opposition player could tap it home. On the basis of the last 20 minutes, we should see a breakthrough goal before the afternoon is over.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Pellegrino makes his second change of the match, introducing Sofiane Boufal in place of Joshua Sims, who has had a good afternoon. Southampton the side now asking the attacking questions at St Mary's Stadium.
CHANCE! Huge, huge chance for Boufal to make an immediate impact, only to send his header from six yards out wide of the target. Superb cross from Redmond out on the right; Boufal should have done a lot better there.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Here is that third and final Southampton change, as Shane Long takes over from the ineffective Carrillo up top. Ten minutes to play at St Mary's Stadium and we are edging towards a goalless conclusion.
Shaqiri sends in yet another tasty delivery, which Stephens got his head to before Crouch could inevitably steer it home. Not been the greatest of games but we are in store for a gripping conclusion - this one could still go either way.
Southampton work the ball well down the right-hand side, but Cedric could not pick out a teammate with his cross at the end of it. All six changes have been made now on the south coast, so the game will be played through to its conclusion.
Swansea are currently leading West Ham 4-0 in South Wales; a scoreline that does neither Stoke nor Southampton any good. Still four minutes of normal time, plus probably around the same added on, to find a dramatic winner here.
Hearts in mouths for Stoke for a moment there as a deflected Southampton shot could have ended anywhere - in the end it went wide of the goal. Maxim Choupo-Moting is now down injured after a collision, though it is likely a time-wasting ploy.
Really nice play in the Southampton box but Crouch fails to find the target at the end of it, instead seemingly attempting to find a teammate. We are now into stoppage time at St Mary's Stadium, of which we will play two further minutes.
FULL TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-0 STOKE CITY
The full-time whistle sounds at St Mary's Stadium, meaning frustration for both sides. Southampton are now one point and one place above the dropzone, while Stoke City are a point worse off in 19th. Neither team truly did enough to win the match and a point apiece was just about the right outcome.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events on the South Coast. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while updates from this and the day's other matches can be found elsewhere on the site in due course.
