Redknapp denies intent to resign at Southampton

Harry Redknapp, the Southampton manager, ruled out resignation yesterday even though Sunday's 4-1 defeat at Portsmouth left the club facing relegation for the first time in 31 years.

Harry Redknapp, the Southampton manager, ruled out resignation yesterday even though Sunday's 4-1 defeat at Portsmouth left the club facing relegation for the first time in 31 years.

"Staying up is the only thing on my mind," Redknapp said. "It's the only thing that interests me in my life at the moment and that's what I'm putting all my efforts into.

"At the end of the season we'll sit down and contemplate next year," he added. "I've got another year on my contract but I still believe I can turn it around and we can stay up. If we do stay up I'll be here next year - there's no chance I'll resign.

"It's a fantastic club but it was always going to be a tough job. But I still think we can pull it off and if we can I think we can build a team here which will make the club proud."

He continued: "The foundations are here if we go down but you would have to chop and change a few players. We've got a big squad, and quite a few of the players are not good enough in all honesty."

Southampton are optimistic that their top scorer, Peter Crouch, will be fit for Saturday's home match against Norwich, where he spent a spell on loan last season. The striker had to withdraw from the defeat at Portsmouth minutes before kick-off after feeling a tightening of his hamstring during the warm-up.

The Arsenal defender Lauren will not face disciplinary action from the Football Association following his "accidental" clash with Erik Edman during the 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Highbury on Monday.

The FA reviewed video replays of the second-half incident, in which Lauren's elbow made contact first with the back of Edman's shoulder and then with his neck. However, they have accepted there was no intent to cause injury and the Arsenal right-back will not face a disciplinary hearing.