Crystal Palace midfielder Bakary Sako says they must be calm going into their clash with Southampton.

With the Palace only outside the relegation zone on goal difference after a six-game losing streak, the visit of one of Alan Pardew's former clubs is a pivotal moment for the boss, who has come under fire due to as a result of recent results.

"It will be an interesting game against Southampton, they are a really good team," Sako told the Croydon Advertiser.

"We are not in great shape at the moment, but we will bounce back.

"The pressure has always been there because we have lost six games in a row now, but we have to try and treat this as another game.

"We need to be relaxed from the start and try and press them from the start.

"There is pressure, but we need to be relaxed and play our football."