Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed on Thursday that Southampton covered more distance in their 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup than in any other game so far this season.
The boss was keen to see a response from his men after the damaging 9-0 loss at the hands of Leicester City in the Premier League last week.
As such, Hasenhuttl saw his men work much harder in the first of their two trips to the Etihad Stadium this week.
The manager discussed Saints’ performance against City in his pre-match press conference, as reported the club’s official website, ahead of this Saturday’s league game in Manchester.
Hasenhuttl confirmed that Southampton covered 190 kilometres collectively. He said:
On Tuesday we covered 190km – the most this season – and this was the reaction I wanted to see, to invest a lot, and against such a team you need to cover a lot of distance. This was positive and the discipline was okay, but even then you see you cannot give them a chance.
Read Southampton’s verdict
Such is the movement and organisational quality of Manchester City, opposing teams simply have to maintain focus and a strong work ethic throughout if they are to avoid embarrassment.
It wasn’t the humiliation that was perhaps expected at the Etihad on Tuesday night, but the difference in quality was evident, to say the very least.
Southampton definitely worked harder and held a better shape, but the real test comes on Saturday, in what promises to be one of the most daunting games of Saints’ season.
