'I'm proud of what we've done this season'

Southampton manager Russell Martin has said he does not let the disappointment of their automatic promotion challenge fading change his positive view on his first season at the club.

The Saints lost three games in the space of a week to Cardiff, Championship winners Leicester and Stoke, which ended their chances of a top-two finish - but Martin's side are certain to finish fourth and could still go up via the play-offs.

"Last week was a culmination of a lot of things, fatigue being the main one," Martin said in a news conference before their match against Leeds on Saturday. "I don't think we've had a schedule as busy as that all season.

"I think the last week dampens how people feel about the season and what the players have done, but I feel really proud of the team and what we've done this season.

"I would have loved to finished in the top two and I'll be eternally frustrated that we haven't, but we have an opportunity to get to the Premier League and do it playing our way.

"From the start of the season to now, the players have made incredible strides and their belief in what they're doing is amazing.

"After probably three quarters of the squad were telling me they were going to leave on the first day we were here, with the change in style and culture, if you'd have said at the start of the season that we'd be in this position with three games to get to the Premier League then I would have been quite happy and a bit surprised."