MANY regard Antti Niemi as the best in the Premiership, but the modest Finn admits he still gets a buzz from facing the likes of Edwin van der Sar.

The Saints 'keeper, pictured above, has clearly established himself among the world's top stoppers during two outstanding seasons at St Mary's, yet he says his opposite number against Fulham at Craven Cottage today is a player he has long admired.

"Edwin van der Sar is easily one of the best, if not the best," said Niemi.

"He has been playing at the top level for a long time. He's done really well. Every time I play against him, I think 'what am I doing here?' Van der Sar was a big player when I was a kid."

Elsewhere, Niemi has earmarked Steed Malbranque and Tomasz Radzinski - the latter scored twice for Everton against Saints two seasons ago at Goodison Park - as potential dangermen for Fulham.

He said: "Malbranque has always done very well against us. They have some quality players.

"Radzinski has gone there from Everton. He is a good player - one of the quickest in the Premier League. He is a quality player.

"I like Fulham, they are a good club and I can't see any reason why it won't be a good game. Fulham play quite open football. They have some good attacking players, but I believe we can score goals."

Saints have been uncharacteristically vulnerable at the back this season and, although Niemi can take little blame for any of the goals, it is still a weakness he takes responsibility for.

"Of course I take it personally," he said. "We go through every single goal after the game. We have lost ten goals already.

"There has been some individual mistakes, sloppy defending and bad goalkeeping.

"It's early in the season and things can only get better.

"Sometimes in football you have to be honest. It hasn't been the best start to the season.

"We have made mistakes and it is only five or six games into the season."

Niemi, though, has stressed that the team has been more solid in recent weeks and is full of praise for the influence of transfer deadline day signing Andreas Jakobsson.

"We have been defending better, so I'm pretty positive," said Niemi.

"Andreas and Claus have done really well. Obviously the management thought we needed some experience at the back and he has done really, really well.

"He keeps things simple, he is physical and he can pass as well. So he is a good mix with Claus.

"We will see what happens when Michael (Svensson) comes back, because Michael has been perhaps our best player in the past two seasons."