Russell Martin wants more Southampton goals despite 10-game unbeaten run

Posted Thursday, November 30, 2023 by PA

Southampton manager Russell Martin still wants more from his promotion-chasing Saints despite extending their unbeaten run to 10 games with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City.

Kyle Walker-Peters scored a second-half belter to give Saints a fourth victory in their last five, which included their first home clean sheet since March.

But despite keeping pace at the top of the Sky Bet Championship, Martin thinks there is still plenty more to come from his side.

“It can’t just be lucky for 10 games,” said Martin. “One game, two games even four games you can be a bit lucky but 10 games isn’t lucky.

“I am happy, I might not seem it as you always want more, but I am happy.

“We had two scary moments but were dominant without having any purpose with the ball but the second half was amazing.

“We just need to score more goals and we should have done tonight.

“I know the expectation here is to win and beat everyone by four goals, I want to as well, and tonight if we get a second then the game changes completely but we can’t do that at the moment for one reason or another.

“It took a brilliant goal to win but it shouldn’t have to, we should have scored more.”

Saints squandered several chances in the first half, and were indebted to their keeper Gavin Bazunu for two sensational moments.

Firstly, the Ireland keeper brilliantly clawed Mark Sykes’ close-range header off the line before quickly coming off his line and diving at the feet of Tommy Conway in a one-versus-one.

Saints scored 109 seconds in the second half to settle the match.

Adam Armstrong looked like he had run down a cul-de-sac but wriggled back down the right side of the box to find Walker-Peters.

The right-back took the ball inside before curling into the top corner with his left foot for his second goal of the season.

Liam Manning lost for the first time since replacing Nigel Pearson as Bristol City boss.

Manning said: “I thought in the first half the game plan worked and we frustrated them while still playing. We created some terrific opportunities and we needed to take them.

“It was a poor start to the second half, with in two minutes the ball in in our net.

“We’ll lose games but I can’t complain about my players. They gave everything.

“Momentum is big in football. We knew first five minutes they would come out and have a right go and we needed to see through that phase.

“We have lost to a moment of high quality so there are mixed emotions for me at the moment.”