Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur: Saint smanager Nigel Adkins insists his job is safe at St Mary's Southampton already look in danger of making an immediate return to the Championship after conceding more goals, 24, in their first eight games than any team in Premier League history. That run has brought only one victory, prompting suggestions that chairman Nicola Cortese is considering replacing Adkins. Adkins, whose side were most recently thrashed 4-1 at West Ham, said: "After the game on Saturday, and the manner of the defeat, for the first time in my life a little bit of negativity crept in. I had to get rid of that quickly. I don't feel under pressure. There is a stability at this club, which is vitally important. We have jumped two divisions to get into the Premier League and we knew this would be a massive challenge. Before we even kicked a ball I was favourite for the sack. I am motivated and I love what I do. Adkins admitted to taking comfort from a poll of 5,000 Southampton fans in a Hampshire newspaper in which 78 per cent of those who voted backed him. He also said that events last week at the city's Ford manufacturing plant, where 500 staff are being made redundant, put his problems into perspective. Sometimes you think everything is against you but you look at what is going on in the world and you realise how fortunate you are. People at the Ford factory have just lost their livelihoods.