“I’m so happy with his work and how [Ollie Watkins] is helping the team.

“If he is scoring I think he can be feeling better and he can take confidence.

“It is not just his responsibility alone to score, it is for other players as well. But I’m so happy with him today.”

“[But] I think we can do better.

“We are winning some matches but there’s more in my mind I want to do.

“A lot of teams are trying to sign players to improve and stay in the Premier League. We have only signed one player [Moreno] at the moment.

“We are, above all, giving our [current] players the opportunity to show they’ve improved with us, then we can add some players to improve the squad and add better balance to each position.

“It is a good pressure for him [Ollie Watkins], if he is feeling it. [The loss of Danny Ings].

“He can feel our support and his team-mates support. He has responsibility as well to do his work and if he is scoring he can be feeling better and take confidence.

“We are not giving him the sole responsibility. Other players like Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia and Jacob Ramsey get in the box and can score. His goal today was very good for him, for the team and we got the three points.

“He’s a competitor, and he’s a striker, so when he’s not scoring he’s not happy, but I’m so happy with his work and how he’s helping the team. Offensively we needed to press, we needed to be together, we needed to keep possession of the ball from our long balls.

“Then when he scores he’s helping more, but it’s not his responsibility alone to score our goals. It’s on other players as well. I am so happy with him today, not just for his goal - of course it’s the difference - but his overall work.

“The last match we won away against Brighton and Tottenham were different because we needed to defend a lot.

“We needed to work without the ball and needed to be good.

“Today we played with more possession. They were trying to recover the ball in the middle and have good transitions but we didn’t allow it.

“We were in their box more than they were in ours. When they made the substitutions the impact was good and we changed something as well in our shape.

“We recovered again control, scored and I think we deserved. Southampton, the last matches and today, they are improving.

“I’m really happy and proud of our work, the commitment of the players. Today was a key match because we were near the bottom two months ago and every team is pushing, signing players and are competitive.

“Southampton were playing well, compact and confident. Today we did well. We were committed, everyone, to try and remember the system which started the process.

“The way we won against Brighton and Tottenham was being competitive, defending but also being ready to attack. Today was different because we played with good control, more possession and positioning. We did not concede corners.

“They are aggressive on set pieces. In Ward-Prowse they have one of the best players in the world for delivery. I think it is a key match, in terms of how we can break from where we were. Now, I am looking at the table, we have 28 points. The difference with the players is big.

“The most important thing about the way we’re playing in matches, we have 16 points from 21, is to be consistent, to be competitive, to adapt to the opposite team. They are pushing us and imposing themselves. The first step is to be competitive and adapt as a team, respect everybody, the opposite team and players.

“We are doing it. This is the first step. Then it’s to improve playing, to improve with the ball possession, with our positioning, to try and reduce our mistakes. Today, we competed very well as well. We played more like I want us to, than we did in our last matches, but we have to improve more.

“At the moment we’re speaking with some players about the opportunity to leave.

“They know it. Then, if we can have space to include some players, to add some players and improve the squad, taking the balance in the squad, we are going to do it.

“But that’s only if, really, they are going to improve us, add quality and add some skill which is different and make an impact in the squad. We are out of the Carabao Cup, we are out of the FA Cup, we are now only playing in the Premier League, and we want to build a strong team.

“At the moment we have very good players and we are happy with the players we have, but of course we want to add more players maybe in this transfer window, or maybe in the summer. In the process, we want to do it.”

“Nakamba, I spoke with him and the idea is to leave and to take minutes in another team.

“He has to try and get back to his performance that he did here last year and two years ago, but now he doesn’t have space in the squad and he can’t wait, to stay here. He knows, and as well other players could leave.”

Unai Emery.