Southampton coach Ronald Koeman has said that he would have settled for being fifth-placed in December before the Premier League season began.
The Saints have turned heads following an early string of impressive performances, but recent results against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal have now seen them lose three of their last league matches.
"Always you have to look until now," said Koeman, according to the Daily Mail.
"If somebody said to me in the pre-season 'after the middle of December you are the fifth in the list' I would have said 'give me the paper and I will sign it now'. I understand the defeats because that's always the difference with players. They need confidence and sometimes now you see that.
"I know my players, how they can play football, and it's difficult because of maybe freshness, maybe about more changes in the team. Confidence you can show them, you can tell them, The answer in always on the pitch Saturday at three o'clock and then you have to show it."
The coastal club will be looking to bounce back when they face Everton at home on Saturday.
Christopher Dodd
