Saints looking for small miracle with Phillips and Camara

SOUTHAMPTON’S players have despaired over the failure to overturn striker Peter Crouch’s ban for the crucial final match of the season but goalkeeper Antti Niemi has urged the team to play their way out of trouble.

The Saints will go down if they lose at home to Manchester United on Sunday, which looks more likely after the FA rejected the striker’s bid to escape a three-match suspension for his sending-off at Crystal Palace.

Kevin Phillips and Henri Camara, who have scored 19 goals between them this season, are the men now charged with keeping the club up.

Niemi admitted: “In my eyes Peter has been our best player of the season. It will be a big blow to be without him. It is not just his goals. If things are not going your way he gives you that option and you can play the ball up to him. He wins the headers, holds the ball up and sucks in defenders.

“But we have other quality strikers in Kevin Phillips and Henri Camara and they will be hungry. We will have to make a few changes with small guys up front. We will have to play some football now, but we created the equaliser against Crystal Palace with those two on the pitch and I am sure we can make more chances.”

Meanwhile, Bryan Robson would rather cast goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak as an extra rather than to the role of hero when West Brom go into the game which will decide their Premiership fate.

If Kuszczak is forced into action, which will happen should Russell Hoult not shake off the groin injury which forced his substitution at Old Trafford on Saturday, then Robson has called on his players to afford him a quiet afternoon.

Sunday’s match against Portsmouth is one West Brom must win and then hope other results also go their way. The Baggies are bottom of the table going into the final weekend, but survival is not an entirely fanciful prospect given the way the bottom four have been jostling for position in the last month.

The point gleaned with the 1-1 draw against Manchester United, achieved despite the home side’s almost complete dominance, has given Albion hope of avoiding relegation in their first season back in the Premiership.

And Kuszczak has emerged as an instant hero in the eyes of supporters, players and coaching staff alike.

Iain Dowie concedes it would be a miracle if Crystal Palace escape relegation - but declares the character of his team ensures anything is possible.

Victory against Charlton may not be enough to prevent the Eagles from enduring an immediate return to the Championship but Dowie is certain his players will complete their side of the survival equation

Graham Stuart knows plenty about pulling off a last-gasp escape from relegation - and is backing some old pals at Charlton to do his current Norwich team-mates a favour by beating Palace.

The Canaries are currently a point clear of the drop zone - but could still end up bottom of table should results go against them.

It is set to be a tense affair when Nigel Worthington’s men take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.