Southampton v Wolves preview: Wolves must handle the pressure in relegation scrap

Whoever can handle the pressure, while blending in enough quality to get enough points, is crucial to any team beating the drop.

Wolves find themselves in a much better position than before Vitor Pereira took over, but are still embroiled in a battle at the bottom.

There have been very few moments this season when Wolves have been favourites to win but against Southampton tomorrow they are odds-on to get three points.

But games are not decided on paper and Pereira's side need to perform when it really matters.

Wolves did exactly that under Gary O'Neil against Southampton at Molineux in early November with a crucial 2-0 win, despite an underwhelming performance.

But, unfortunately, the team have not dealt well with pressure on plenty of occasions this season.

Back-to-back 4-2 and 4-0 defeats to Bournemouth and Everton began a troubling run of four games that ended with a 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich, which cost O'Neil his job.

The last minute Ipswich winner that day was a sucker punch to an already wounded team that could not deal with the importance of that fixture.

That pressure has become too much for several first team players - including Jose Sa, Mario Lemina, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha - who have all had disciplinary issues this season. When the heat is on, some players have wilted.

Now, after Pereira has managed 14 points in 12 games that has put safety back into Wolves' hands, the team is in a better place.

They still have their shortcomings but are starting to find more consistency, resulting in a solid performance against Everton last time out that displayed Wolves as a cohesive unit in the absence of Cunha as they earned a point.

Similar pressure will now be applied tomorrow, with Wolves expected to beat a lowly Saints side that look destined for relegation.

It is a huge opportunity for three points and Wolves must take every chance in front of them if they want to secure Premier League safety.

Ipswich host high-flying Nottingham Forest, while Leicester are at home to Manchester United on Sunday evening.

Results elsewhere could go Wolves' way again and this time they must extend it.

If those two teams lose, a Wolves win would put them nine points clear of the relegation zone and with a far superior goal difference, creeping them closer to survival with nine games remaining.

Wolves also travel to Ipswich in early April and then host Leicester a few weeks later, with an opportunity to put the final nail in their coffin.

The current run of fixtures was always going to be crucial to Wolves' survival and they started it brightly with a point against Everton, but now is the time to step up and put Southampton to the sword.

They will have to do it without talisman Cunha, but Wolves' other forward options must repay the faith Pereira has shown in them as they march on to the St Mary's Stadium tomorrow.