WORCESTER have heaped pressure upon themselves after their horror show at the Rec.

Much, of course, depends on the fortunes of fellow relegation rivals Leeds, Northampton, London Irish and Harlequins, but the Warriors know that their next clash against Saracens is now a must-win game.

Worcester take on the Vicarage Road side next Saturday at Sixways in their penultimate home fixture of their Premiership calendar and, following their dismal display in the weekend defeat at Bath, the pressure is on.

With trips to Newcastle and Wasps before the final day showdown with Northampton, March 26 is now D-Day for the Warriors if they want to keep their heads above those relegation waters.

Bottom club Leeds are running out of time, already seven points adrift of the Warriors and, with forthcoming games against Leicester, Gloucester, Quins and Bath, their fate looks the most precarious.

However, Worcester know that if they'd have beaten an under-strength Bath on Saturday, the pressure would have almost been off them as they focused on Sarries. Now, it's anything but that scenario.

"The Bath result means that we now have to perform against Saracens," said Worcester's head coach Andy Keast.

"The next three games are against quality teams and two of those are away from home. We've got to get points out of those three games.

"Saracens, on paper, have the platform to beat anybody in the Premiership. They have got class in abundance from one to 15. So, if we perform below our best, then we'll get beaten again.

"That's why the Bath game was so disappointing because it's put the pressure on us. We'd gone into the match with three successive victories under our belt and another win would have eased that pressure.

"Four points at Bath would have put us eighth and that's a high elevation from what our number one goal is this season and that's 11th place."

Leeds may have only won five Premiership matches this season but the Headingley side could easily chalk up wins at Gloucester, who seem in terminal decline, and against Quins.

"People will say that Leeds have a tough run-in," added Keast.

"However, they could well get a couple of wins between now and the end of the season. It could all come down to the last game of the season and you cannot afford to go into that game only three points ahead of the rest."

If Leeds can stay in touch with the rest of their rivals, it would set up a day of unbearable tension for supporters around the country. Worcester, Leeds, Northampton and London Irish could all be in the shake-up as they face difficult last-day fixtures.

The Warriors welcome Northampton to Sixways on that final day while Leeds travel to the Rec and London Irish make the long trip to Newcastle. Quins, if they are still in trouble by then, welcome Sale to the Stoop.

If there was ever a doubt about relegation adding something to the Premiership, this season has blown the theory totally out of the water.

Remaining games

Worcester: Saracens (h), Newcastle (a), Wasps (a), Northampton (h).

Leeds: Leicester (h), Gloucester (a), Quins (h), Bath (a).

Northampton: Quins (h), Bath (a), Newcastle (h), Worcester (a).