Tonda Eckert praises Southampton players after impressive win over Bristol City

Tonda Eckert passed all the credit to his players as Southampton beat Bristol City 4-1 at St Mary’s to remain unbeaten at home in the league since January.

Two goals from Cyle Larin and one each from Kuryu Matsuki and Finn Azaz ensured the Saints continued their 100 per cent home record this season, with Lorent Tolaj pulling one back for City in the second half.

Eckert said: “It wasn’t an easy start to the game and then I’ve decided at half-time that it’s probably not the day where we can go after them.

“Sometimes you have to accept maybe you have to defend a little bit more, that you don’t touch the ball as often. And then you need to use those moments when you go forward. I think the win today belongs to the players, because they have left everything on the pitch.

“It just comes down to the mindset you have, to the togetherness as a group, how you grind out those games, especially if it’s been a long block now, physically and mentally.

“I think you could just see from the very first minute today that there was a team on the pitch that played midweek against Swansea and had to run a lot, the most that we’ve had to run all season, and a team on the pitch that had a whole week to prepare.”

Bristol City had much the better of the early exchanges and both Tolaj and ex-Saint Dom Ballard ought to have had them in front.

Saints led against the run of run of play when Larin brilliantly evaded two challenges on the edge of the area and curled superbly into the top corner with his weaker left foot.

Larin’s second came just after the hour mark when more good work by Azaz and Leo Scienza saw James Ward-Prowse come close to scoring before the Canadian seized on the loose ball.

A nervy 15 minutes then ensued inside St Mary’s when Tolaj diverted Rio Cardines’ low cross past Daniel Peretz to make it 2-1.

But Matsuki expertly finished from the edge of the area after another Azaz assist to give Eckert some breathing space with eight minutes left.

The celebrations began in earnest three minutes later when Azaz got on the scoresheet himself, profiting from Divin Mubama’s unselfish run and pass to slot past Sam Tickle.

Bristol City boss Michael Skubala said: “The scoreline overshadows it and probably flatters them a little bit. I thought we more than matched them in the first half and were the better team.

“I was looking at the game, at their goal. We created chances and to come here and I think we should have scored two at least.

“But that’s football. The back end of the game where we opened up too much was the frustrating bit because the scoreline frustrates us. But when we look at that performance, and I will, I think it’ll probably be a good performance.”