Even the most optimistic of Southampton fans will know Russell Martin will have a tough job to keep the club in the Premier League this season.
Southampton made sure their stay in the Championship was a fleeting one as they secured a Premier League return via the play-offs last campaign.
A steady slide towards relegation culminated with a bottom-place finish for the Saints in the 2022/23 season, ending the club’s 11-year stay in the top flight.
Now, Russell Martin will get his first taste of Premier League management as he looks to make Southampton an established top flight side once more.
The Saints have had a decent pre-season and drew 1-1 against Lazio in their penultimate friendly of the summer on Wednesday before the competitive season gets under way away at Newcastle United on August 17.
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Jamie Carragher reveals reason he thinks Southampton could survive 2024/25 Premier League season
Excitement is really building for the new season, with Manchester United and Fulham set to play out the Premier League curtain raiser on the Friday night before the remaining 18 teams do battle across the weekend.
With just over a week until that fixture, Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes previewed the campaign and took a look at each of the 20 clubs on The Overlap’s Fan Debate.
Speaking on Southampton, Carragher revealed a psychological reason that he thinks gives Southampton an edge over Ipswich Town in particular in their battle for survival.
Carragher explained: “I think sometimes the mentality of believing you’re a Premier League club…I think at times last season – even with Luton, who I thought were brilliant – they don’t believe they’re a Premier League club.
“I think that will probably be the situation for Ipswich, their supporters and players playing in the Premier League thinking ‘do I actually belong here?’ because you haven’t been there for so long.
“I always felt last season the three teams who came up felt like they were Championship teams and the three teams that went into the Championship were actually Premier League clubs in some ways.
“So, I actually think that mentality maybe of Southampton and Leicester actually gives you more of an opportunity than Ipswich.”
Southampton must continue to believe in style in the Premier League
This mental advantage could be telling during a season in which Southampton will have to let the outside noise wash over them.
Martin has a very particular philosophy which revolves heavily around possession and there will be times when this does not work against the best clubs in the land.
However, the Saints players can not allow their belief in what they are being asked to do to waver if they are to be successful this season.
Martin will live by the sword or die by the sword and his players should be willing to do the same.