Mark Hughes Encouraged By 'Improved' Second Half Performance as Saints Earn Opening Day Point

Southampton boss Mark Hughes believes his side were unlucky not to take all three points from their home against Burnley after a much improved second-half

Southampton boss Mark Hughes believes his side were unlucky not to take all three points from their home against Burnley after a much improved second-half performance.

After a sluggish start to the match, the Saints steadied their rocking ship and consolidated, carving out chances and troubling new Burnley goalkeeper Joe Hart. Their own goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was also in inspired form, producing a number of top quality saves.

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The game would end in stalemate, but speaking after the game, as quoted by Southampton's official website, Hughes was pleased with his players efforts, saying: “I think we steadily improved and in the second-half I made a change because I felt we weren’t able to get any pressure on the ball to stop them playing into the channels.

“We needed to gain control of the game so we changed the personnel and the shape as well which helped us. We were able to get up the pitch and controlled the second-half.

“We created a number of chances and on another day I think we did enough to win the game.“In the first-half, we didn’t start with the intensity I’d hoped because you’ve got to impose what you want to do on the opposition.

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Hughes was full of praise for the opposition also, acknowledging that Burnley's European adventures had given them the early initiative.

“Credit to Burnley, I think it showed they're ahead of us in terms of competitive action so they probably had a little bit more speed than us in the opening period. 

"I think we got better as the game went on and in the end I think they were trying to run the clock down and get the draw, whereas we were trying to win the game."

Following today's promising draw, Southampton face an away trip to Goodison Park next to face Everton before returning to face Leicester City at St. Mary's the week after.