MIKAEL NILSSON admits Saints' current predicament is worrying the players.

With just five points from a possible 27 this season, Saints sit second from bottom of the table - level with relegation favourites Crystal Palace at the foot of the league.

Nilsson said it felt "twice as bad" to lose to an 89th-minute goal at Everton on Saturday after an injury-ravaged team had performed well and held firm for the majority of the match.

The Swedish international, though, remains confident of climbing the table.

He said: "It's tough, but I think we will manage to get out of it.

"It feels twice as much to lose in the 89th minute.

"It is starting to worry us and we have to win a game soon. We were hoping to do that against Everton."

The defensive quartet was changed barely an hour before kick-off when Claus Lundekvam, who had been an ever-present this season, fell ill.

But Nilsson was refusing to blame the late change for defeat.

He said: "Of course it was a blow to lose Claus, but Darren (Kenton) played really well and I don't think we lost because of the change to the team.

"The goal was from a throw-in and of course you should get the ball out."

Nilsson, who was playing his fifth successive game at right-back, felt Saints merited a draw.

"We deserved a point," he said. "We didn't play that good, but we created some chances and we deserved a point.

"The injuries are not helping, but the players who played did well enough.

"I've been in clubs that have lost games before but not with so many injuries.

"But we did enough. We defended well, as we have done the last few games. "

Of youngsters Leon Best and Dexter Blackstock, who made their senior starting debuts together up-front, Nilsson added: "Leon and Dexter worked really, really hard and in the first-half they were both excellent.

"In the second-half they got tired and were not able to work as hard, but they did great."