Sunderland manager David Moyes has said that Southampton deserve credit for the level of their recent performances.
The Saints' only defeat in their last nine games has come away at Inter Milan and they responded to that setback with a 1-1 draw at Manchester City last weekend.
Moyes takes his Sunderland players to St Mary's for an EFL Cup tie on Wednesday night, and he has admitted that he has been impressed with Claude Puel's side.
The 53-year-old told reporters: "Yeah I've been impressed by Southampton.
"I think a lot of people have by, I think outside the top 3 or 4 teams at the moment, I think Southampton might be the name people are talking about just now and rightly so."
Moyes's only wins as Black Cats boss have come in the EFL Cup.
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