Supposedly the best run club in the Premier League is now staring into the abyss.

Southampton might remain within a win of safety but more alarming even than their dreadful recent form or Saturday’s feeble 3-0 defeat against West Ham United is surely the fixture list.

Seven Premier League games remain, but standing in their way are trips to Arsenal, Leicester City, Swansea City and Everton as well as home fixtures against Chelsea, Manchester City and a neighbouring Bournemouth who would love to assert themselves as the area’s outstanding team.

Ahead of such a difficult sequence, it is hard not to look back at winless home matches against Swansea City, Watford, Newcastle United, Burnley, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Stoke City and wonder if the damage that was done earlier in the season under Mauricio Pellegrino is already almost irreparable.

So, even allowing for a pleasing FA Cup run, what has gone wrong? Why is the model club now itself facing the prospect of a rebuild?