91Èȱ¬

Southampton boss Nigel Adkins says he has been given no ultimatum by chairman Nicola Cortese despite being bottom of the Premier League after 10 games.

Adkins met with Cortese on Tuesday following their 2-0 defeat by West Brom but says he does not fear for his job.

It was rumoured manager Adkins had two games to keep his position at St Mary's but he says this is not the case.

"I'm not on a match-by-match basis, the chairman wants me to be Southampton manager," Adkins told 91Èȱ¬ South Sport.

Southampton have just four points from their opening 10 games and face Swansea on Saturday.

But Adkins, who had led Saints up from League One thanks to back-to-back promotions, says he is confident he can turn things around at the club and says he has the full support of Cortese.

"The relationship between me and the chairman is very good, and that is the most important relationship at any football club," added Adkins.

"There is always going to be pressure, every team wants to be successful, it was always going to be the case. I am ready for it, I am loving it.

"We are all working for the same cause and that's to make sure Southampton Football Club stay in the Premier League.

"We all want the same thing, we all share the same common cause and we are all striving to meet that common cause."

Adkins, who will take his team away for a two-day training camp before the visit of Swansea on Saturday, admits his side are already huge favourites to be relegated back to the Championship.

But he says they will not go down without a fight.

"The reality is, we are 10 games in and we have four points on the table we are bottom of the table," said Adkins.

"We are in a relegation dogfight but we are going to fight and keep pushing everyone on.

"We are going to graft and grind and people will be accountable.

"We will stand up and take responsibility and ultimately the players on the pitch will score goals and will keep them out at the other end.

"We will do it because we need to do it and we want to do it and we will do it. We accept the position we are in but we look forward with positivity."