Claus Lundekvam has praised the club's three centre halves for helping the side achieve the third best defensive record in the Premiership this season.

Only Middlesbrough and Manchester United have conceded fewer goals than Saints in their ten top-flight matches this term - a record that Lundekvam is proud of.

The Norwegian centre back has been at the heart of the defence for much of the season alongside Michael Svensson or Paul Williams and is delighted at their form, in particular Svensson after a summer move to a new country and a new league.

He said: "In the last couple of games Michael and I have complemented each other very well.

"We did very well on Monday against Aston Villa's Dion Dublin, who is very strong in the air, and Darius Vassell, who is very quick and sharp around the box.

"But I thought we picked up the second ball most of the time.

"Michael is a very strong player, very powerful and he wins a lot of tackles and headers.

"I've always played next to a player that's very dominant - that's what I like.

"I thought that, to begin with for the first couple of months, Michael took some time to settle in and get used to English football.

"But everybody has that - I'm still struggling!

"With Willo providing plenty of experience, we are looking quite good at the back."

Lundekvam was forced off at Villa Park on Monday night after damaging his calf in an aerial challenge with Dublin but expects to be fit for Sunday's match against Fulham.

"I'll be very disappointed if I'm not fit for Sunday," said Lundekvam.

"My calf was paralysed for a few minutes but I'm all right now.

"It was a good win at Villa and I think we deserved it. We were the better side."

But the man who has not scored for Saints during his seven seasons at the club admitted he was taking some stick for scoring a landmark goal for his country last week.

"My goal wasn't pretty but it was a bit special, being the 1000th goal scored by Norway, which made it even more memorable.

"It was a high corner across the box and I took it over the line with my midriff.

"But a goal is a goal! I got a small trophy for getting that goal and have taken a lot of stick as I'm hardly a goal-getter. It's not what I'm paid to do.

"Norway are playing really well right now.

"In two big games, we have kept two clean sheets, including the win against Romania, where France, Italy and Bulgaria have all failed to win recently.

"I'm enjoying my football at the moment, that's for sure."