Premier League: Ronald Koeman backs Southampton to finish in top four after Aston Villa draw
Saints boss said his side lacked freshness during draw at Villa Park
Tuesday 25 November 2014 12:31, UK
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman insisted his side can finish in the top four this season despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa on Monday Night Football.
Second-placed Saints came from behind to claim a share of the spoils at Villa Park as Nathaniel Clyne's late strike cancelled out Gabriel Agbonlahor's 28th-minute opener.
Although the draw ends Saints’ winning run, it keeps them second in the table and with a seven-point cushion over fifth-placed Newcastle United.
Asked if he thinks his side can qualify for the Champions League for the first time this season, Koeman told Sky Sports: “Yes I think it is possible. I don’t see a lot of other teams that are better than Southampton.
“We have to play better than tonight but everybody knows the Premier League is a battle every game and there are big teams who are struggling. If we keep going, keep the spirit and character in the team that we showed today, then I think it is possible.”
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Saints’ top-four credentials will be put to the test in the coming weeks as they face Manchester City on Sunday followed by Arsenal and Manchester United. Koeman, though, is relishing the challenge and hopes his side will raise their game for their toughest tests to date.
“We didn’t reach the level we can reach tonight and we need that to be competitive against City on Sunday,” he said. “We are facing three big teams but every game is a difficult battle. Maybe Villa, with some key players injured, were more dangerous.”
Asked about why his side struggled to create chances at Villa Park, Koeman said: “After going 1-0 down it was more difficult and going forward we didn’t have the freshness to create chances like we usually do. If you score that late to make it 1-1 you can be happy but I think we missed some freshness and some qualities. It was difficult after going 1-0 down though.”
Koeman refused to blame goalkeeper Fraser Forster for the dropped points despite the England international's error in rushing out to allow Agbonlahor to slide the ball into an empty net.
"He is a great goalkeeper and that doesn't change after this mistake," he added.
"It doesn't usually go against us and it was a misunderstanding. He came out, stopped and if you stop you are too late. He is clever enough to understand that kind of mistake."
