Bosses tell Hughes he will stay even if club drop

EXCLUSIVE by DAVID WOODS

SOUTHAMPTON are ready to keep faith with boss Mark Hughes – even if they are relegated.

Starsport understands that the south coast strugglers see the Welshman as the man to bring them straight back up if they do drop out of the Premier League.

Ex-Stoke manager Hughes, 54, was appointed in March until the end of the season following the dismissal of Mauricio Pellegrino.

Saints won their first match under Sparky, beating Wigan 2-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

In the Premier League, though, they have picked up just one point out of a possible 12 and seem destined for the drop, sitting four points from safety with four games left.

But it’s understood the hierarchy at St Mary’s feel they have seen an improvement after slipping to narrow 3-2 defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.

Saints could still avoid relegation and face a crunch clash at home to Bournemouth tomorrow.

Everton are then up next followed by a trip to fellow strugglers Swansea on May 8, before ending their season against champions Manchester City.

It is believed Hughes has had reassurances about the prospect of him staying at the helm should Southampton be relegated.

The ex-Manchester United striker had proudly boasted he has never been relegated but is thought to be keen to take on the task of getting Saints straight back up if they go down.

Meanwhile, Saints bad boy Sofiane Boufal has apologised over a row with his manager but will still be exiled against Bournemouth.

Hughes threw a water bottle at him after the sub refused to warm-up during the loss to Chelsea.

Boufal has been banished from training with the first-team. Asked if he had said sorry, Hughes said: “He admitted he has made the mistake.

“Sofi is remorseful and we will build him up to get him back into the group. At the moment he is training with the Under-23s.”