Craig Gardner: 'We should have beaten Southampton'

Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner feels that his side should have held out for all three points in their Premier League clash with Southampton.

The Saints scored an 88th-minute equaliser through Jose Fonte to cancel out Emanuele Giaccherini's early strike for the Black Cats.

"Obviously it was a disappointing end to the game after we had held onto the lead for so long - it's a point on the board but it should have been three," Gardner told the club's official website.

"We came here with a game plan and I thought that we did really well; there was some solid defending out there and I think we were really unlucky not to leave with maximum points."

Sunderland have taken one point from their opening two Premier League games.