Saints might just do old boss Dave Jones a favour if they can win at Coventry tonight.

Sky Blues boss Gordon Strachan is under pressure to halt his side's Premiership plummet during a crunch run of three successive games against sides around them in the table.

On Boxing Day they travel to Everton before going to relegation rivals Middlesbrough a week tomorrow.

Defeat tonight would turn up the heat on Strachan - and that could just pave the way for a return to football by Jones who is fondly remembered from his playing days at Highfield Road.

Strachan's saving grace is that his side have been playing well but struggling desperately to score goals.

They have managed just six in their last nine league games, leaking 18 in the process to give them the joint worst goal difference in the Premiership.

But the team have been playing for each other and for the manager as they proved with a crucial 1-0 win over Leicester a fortnight ago.

They have lost the volatile influence of Carlton Palmer who has gone on extended loan to Watford after becoming unsettled in the same way and time span as he did at The Dell.

Colin Hendry has been farmed out to Bolton and there is a doubt over goalkeeper Magnus Hedman who went over on an ankle in training this week. But that is not necessarily good news for Saints given the way his deputy Chris Kirkland performed at The Dell in the Worthington League Cup tie.

That was Coventry's second success of the season over Saints but Strachan is warning his players not to be complacent tonight.

He said: "We have played Southampton twice so we know we can beat them but we also have to realise that if we do not respect them, they could beat us.

"They have power and height in their side and a system they use away from home which can stifle you and give you problems. We have reason to respect them and reason to believe we can beat them."

Coventry's problems though are not confined solely to the field, last night's annual general meeting revealed a debt of £30.6 million!