SAINTS must bury a host of hoodoos as they aim to ease the pressure building up on Nigel Adkins this weekend.

Adkins takes his side to Queens Park Rangers, the only team below them in the Premier League, in one of the most critical games of Saints’ recent years.

Three points at Loftus Road would surely win Adkins more time as he bids to take Saints out of relegation trouble – and see him still in a job for the following week’s intriguing clash with his St Mary’s predecessor Alan Pardew.

But in order to collect them, Saints must banish the weight of history building up: l The club have only won one of their last 27 away Premier League games, stretching back to April 2004 – and have lost all five on their travels this term.

l They have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 20 top flight games, home or away l They have not won a Premier League game on their last 12 visits to London, conceding 17 goals in their last four games alone – including 10 this season at Arsenal and West Ham.

Full story in today's Daily Echo