Pompey boss Michael Appleton believes this weekend’s south coast derby is the “perfect” fixture for his beleaguered team.

The relegation-threatened Blues visit St Mary’s on Saturday having been demolished 5-1 by Burnley at Fratton Park last weekend.

But Appleton believes a trip to their bitter rivals and current Championship leaders could provide the ideal tonic.

“I can’t think of a better game to go and play on Saturday after what happened (against Burnley),” he said. “It’s probably the most perfect game to play.

“Southampton are riding high at the top of the league and – for any other club apart from Portsmouth – it is most likely the worst place to go after you have just been beaten 5-1 at home.

“But the fact that it is Portsmouth Football Club going to Southampton, maybe it is a good thing.

“There is more than three points riding on the result, there is personal pride, and with a lot of people in the area if there is one game they want to win it is Southampton.”

While most observers will likely give Pompey little hope this weekend, their opponents are also coming off a resounding defeat, after Blackpool slowed Saints’ promotion charge slightly with a 3-0 win at Bloomfield Road.

But Appleton is happy for people to continue to discount his team, who are 23rd in the table and five points adrift of safety.

“People have written us off so many times, that is a good thing from our point of view,” he said.

“It has happened over the last three or four weeks at different stages. Losing at Coventry we were written off and we came back against Hull.

“We were probably written off after the Bristol City game after not winning and before then we were pretty much written off anyway.

“There is still an opportunity there and if you keep the belief all of a sudden things can change.

“The good thing is they again know no-one’s position is safe in the team and that is always nice going into a derby, especially away from home.”

Appleton believes the extent of the defeat to Burnley will not be playing on the minds of his squad.

“I don’t think the hiding will affect us any more than a defeat would have,” he said. “It would have been just as disappointing losing the game 2-1, trust me.

“The fact it was 5-1 doesn’t look good, it looks as though you have had a thumping, but the truth is it wasn’t really. We just lost a bit of discipline once that second goal went in.

“I would have been probably just as angry and frustrated at losing 2-1, especially after putting in the performance we did in that first half.”