Southampton FC manager Ralph Hasenhuttl welcomes underdog status ahead of Manchester City clash

By Stephen Emerson

14 March 2022

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Credit: Southampton FC

Southampton FC manager Ralph Hasenhuttl expects his side to show their character and bounce back from recent defeats when they take on Manchester City.

The St Mary's side have lost their last three matches with the latest defeat coming to relegation-threatened Watford at the weekend where The Saints lost 2 - 1 at home.

Hasenhuttl urged his players to respond calmly to the pressure they will come under.

“It will definitely be a different game than this one. We will be the ones under pressure and let’s have a look to see if we can learn something,” he said.

“We have to learn as a young team to stay cool, stay patient and to break them down. To still create chances to score.

“Our decision making (against Watford) was driven by stress and impatience, from not waiting for the right moment because of what I just said.

“This is what we are missing at the moment.”

The Southampton manager praised Watford for their composure they showed against his side.

He said: "Yes, we know that the Premier League is a tough league and when you have a start like we had today, with a chance to score, and then concede a goal with nearly an own goal, and things are going in a different direction.

"I must congratulate Watford for the three points. They absolutely need them and they deserved them because of their defensive performance, their coolness, and cleverness, I would maybe do the same if I was in a relegation battle."

By Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset.

Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users.

He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.