ANDERS SVENSSON has backed Steve Wigley's leadership of Saints - describing him as one of the best coaches he's ever worked with.

The Swedish international, who equalised for Saints in their 2-1 St Mary's defeat against Newcastle yesterday, leapt to the defence of the head coach who has yet to taste victory in his new role.

But Svensson believes the players must take the blame and NOT Wigley for what has happened since his appointment.

He said: "Steve is one of the best coaches I've ever had in football.

"It's up to us players to perform. He and the rest of the staff can only prepare us and it's not his fault we got sloppy on a free-kick.

"He's doing an excellent job and we're lucky to have him"

For Svensson it was his second goal in five starts for Saints this season - after going the entire 2003/04 campaign without scoring for the club - and he believes he has benefited from a continued run on the left of midfield.

"I haven't played there much in my career but I would rather be out there getting more of the ball than having to be in the middle fighting it out," he said. "When I have played in the middle in the past it has been more of an attacking role.

"We were playing two very strong guys in the middle with me and Fab trying to be a bit more attacking out wide.

"It does let me get higher up the pitch and allows me to be a bit more creative, so I am enjoying it.

"I feel more of a part of things attacking-wise and I do feel confident about scoring goals when I go on to the pitch to play now.

"If any player is playing regularly that helps your self-confidence as well and I am no different."

Speaking of Newcastle's winner, Svensson added: "It was a great strike but we need to be a bit sharper than that.

"We played some decent football again today but we switched off for just a second and you cannot do that against a team like Newcastle.

"We have been doing it all season.

"We have been playing some good football but then we have conceded easy goals. We will have to look at that as soon as possible.

"When we equalised we deserved it and we were really strong after that.

"We could even have gone on and won it.

"But it was just a moment of sloppiness and it is a tough loss to take because of that."

Svensson also disagreed with Graeme Souness that Saints played a long ball game and retorted: "They hit quite long balls up to Shearer and Kluivert.

They created some good football at times but after we scored we were sloppy on a free-kick - otherwise we would have won it."