IT is a litany of woe that Saints hope to end when they return to London on Saturday.

Saints beat West Ham when they last played a Premier League game at Upton Park ten years ago, James Beattie scoring the only goal in the final minute.

But Saints lost their previous four Premier League games at West Ham without getting on the scoresheet.

And they return on Saturday hoping for their first win in the capital in 12 attempts.

Not since the 3-1 vanquishing of Spurs in September 2003 - a result that prompted the sacking of Glenn Hoddle – have Saints left London with three Premier League points.

Saints have only notched three top-flight victories in their last 33 visits to the Big Smoke, a 4-2 win at Chelsea on New Year’s Day 2002 being their only other 21st century Premier League success in the capital.

Beattie was on the scoresheet in all three of those London wins, netting twice at Spurs and another brace at Stamford Bridge, pre-Roman Abramovich.

They are precious memories amidst a disastrous record of 20 defeats in 33 matches.

Two 6-1 hammerings at Arsenal - at Highbury a few days before the sides contested the 2003 FA Cup final and at the Emirates last month - and a couple of thrashings at Spurs (5-1 and 7-2) have contributed to the concession of 70 goals in that time.

Saints' record against London clubs in the Premier League since 2000:

2012/13
L Arsenal 6-1 (15/9)

2004/05
D Crystal Palace 2-2 (7/5)
L Spurs 5-1 (18/12)
D Arsenal 2-2 (30/10)
L Fulham 1-0 (25/9)
D Charlton 0-0 (13/9)
L Chelsea 2-1 (28/8)

2003/04
L Charlton 2-1 (15/5)
L Chelsea 4-0 (1/5)
L Arsenal 2-0 (10/2)
L Fulham 2-0 (26/12)
W SPURS 1-3 (20/9)

2002/03
L Arsenal 6-1 (7/5)
L Charlton 2-1 (26/4)
D Fulham 2-2 (15/3)
D Chelsea 0-0 (26/12)
W WEST HAM 0-1 (2/12)
L Spurs 2-1 (31/8)

2001/02
D Charlton 1-1 (13/4)
D Arsenal 1-1 (2/2)
W CHELSEA 2-4 (1/1)
L Fulham (27/10)
L West Ham (20/10)
L Spurs 2-0 (9/9)

2000/01
L West Ham 3-0 (5/5)
L Chelsea 1-0 (14/4)
D Spurs 0-0 (20/1)
L Arsenal 1-0 (2/12)
D Charlton 1-1 (6/9)
D Chelsea 1-1 (25/3)
L Spurs 7-2 (11/3)
L West Ham 2-0 (8/3)
L Arsenal 3-1 (26/2)