Neymar admitted Santos are "no longer a powerhouse in Brazilian football" and expects to be in another relegation battle this year.

Santos moved four points clear of the drop zone in the Brazilian Serie A with a 1-0 win over Corinthians on Sunday.

Neymar's free-kick led to Christian Oliva's winner in the first half, with Santos now winning two of their last three games.

The 34-year-old rejoined Santos, who last won the league title in 2004, last year after leaving the club in 2013 to join Barcelona, and he helped them avoid relegation.

Overall, Neymar has scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 32 league matches since returning to Santos, but he anticipates another tough relegation battle this year.

"Every match is going to be a struggle," said the former Barca and Paris Saint-Germain forward.

"There won't be any matches we'll win 3-0 or 4-0. Obviously, that will happen at some point (in the future), but given what Santos has become, unfortunately, we're no longer a powerhouse in Brazilian football.

"Today, there are two powerhouses [Palmeiras and Flamengo] in Brazilian football, and we know which ones they are.

"But we continue to give it our all and work every day to improve. What Santos fans can expect from this squad is total commitment and dedication every day, in every match."