Southampton carry feel-good factor after big wins as Leicester loom, says Ralph Hasenhuttl
Southampton recently won 2-0 away at Stamford Bridge and beat Spurs 1-0, impressively shutting out their opposition in both matches
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Your support makes all the difference.Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl claimed “the belief is back” after the Saints’ wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Despite a difficult start to the season, the St Mary’s club are unbeaten in five matches in all competitions and have won three of their last four Premier League games. In that time, Southampton won 2-0 away at Stamford Bridge and most recently beat Spurs 1-0, impressively shutting out their opposition in both matches.
This run of form has seen the Saints rise to 12th in the league and, speaking ahead of their trip to Leicester City on Saturday, Hasenhuttl said: “When you get good results you can feel also in the sessions that the quality is rising and the self-confidence is rising and the belief is back.
“When you have clean sheets against Tottenham and Chelsea and win, then it feels fantastic for the players. But I still don’t have the feeling that they are not hungry anymore, so we stay on hunting and we know that it’s only short-term where we took a lot of points.”
However, the Austrian manager knows his side cannot rest on their laurels, saying: “I don’t see the reason why we should stop or lean back now because this is an important period of the season and the more points you take now, the less pressure you have in the end.
“We did it fantastic so far but we are still way off being in a comfort zone – we don’t want to be.”
The reverse fixture ended 9-0 to the Foxes in October in what was Southampton’s worst defeat in their 134-year history and the biggest away victory ever in the Premier League.
Hasenhuttl was full of praise for his opposite number Brendan Rodgers, who has guided Leicester to second in the league, saying: “It’s a very strong side. He does a fantastic job with his team. They have a clear philosophy and are very flexible in their shape – [it is] not a coincidence that they are so high in the table.
“To take something against them, it’s not so easy. But we want to show we can do it better than the first game.”
Hasenhuttl was also quizzed on Southampton’s activity in the January transfer window, especially regarding a widely rumoured exit for 23-year-old forward Che Adams.
The £15m signing is yet to score for the Saints since joining from Birmingham City last summer – but Hasenhuttl, when asked if Adams could leave St Mary’s on loan, said: “No. Absolutely no because we need every player. Not only because of injury, but he can help us. Even though he hasn’t scored he played a very good game against Chelsea.
“Hes a positive guy and I want him here. We’re working with him every day, showing him videos and telling him what he has to do. This is something of an investment in the future. We were convinced when we took him and were still convinced about him.”
Adams made his first league start since September in the 2-0 win at Chelsea, but is very much second choice behind Danny Ings – who was rested that day.
Ings, 27, is enjoying a remarkable season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions, and may trouble Leicester’s back line in Saturday’s 3pm kick off.
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