Fraser Forster will equal the Saints record for consecutive clean sheets should he shut out Chelsea on Saturday, but he could enter the record books a little bit earlier than that on Saturday.

Although all the focus has been on Fraser Forster keeping a 7th consecutive clean sheet and thus equaling Paul Jones club record from the 2000/01 campaign, the fact is Forster is only 34 minutes away from beating Jones total of 666 minutes without conceding a goal achieved during that run.

Before Forster suffered the injury to his knee last year he had not conceded a goal for 94 minutes so when you add the 540 minutes he has kept a clean sheet since his return, he is now only 34 minutes from passing Jones in the record books.

That will give Saints added incentive to beat Chelsea, that remains the first and foremost aim on Saturday, i'm sure Forster himself would rather concede and get three points than not do so and a 0-0 draw, such is Saints need for every point they can get in their quest for a top five finish.

But they can use the record books as an incentive, if they keep a clean sheet for the first 34 minutes and smash one record it will be the first step in beating Chelsea, if they then keep a clean sheet for the ful 90 then that will be a bigger step, in football sometimes you have to set small targets to achieve the bigger overall one.

Should Forster shut out Chelsea and equal the record then he will attempt to beat it only 30 miles along the coast at AFC Bournemouth where ironically watching from the opposite goal will be the man he replaced at St Mary's Artur Boruc.

The focus though in both games will be picking up maximum points, Saturday's game against Chelsea is the start of a big week for Saints with 3 games in 7 days, how many points are gained will go a long way to where Saints will finish at the end of the season.

Photo: Action Images

SaintBrock added 10:33 - Feb 22 NicK please put a gag on it and stop tempting fate. Who gives a monkey's whether this artificial record is broken or not, it is meaningless nonsense?
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