Andrew Surman is targeting a top-two Championship place by Christmas.

The Saints midfielder is far from complacent and believes that his side are going to have to work even harder than usual to get results in their next fixtures - away to Hull and Southend, the Championship's bottom two teams.

But he is aware that picking up points against these sides is going to be vital if Saints are to fulfil their promotion ambitions - and essential if those ambitions are to go up automatically.

He said: "These games are potential banana skins - Ipswich and QPR were teams we should have beaten and we don't want to beat Birmingham and then lose to the second-bottom team.

"If you're going to go up in this league, you've got to beat teams near the bottom because you need the points to go up.

"If we can take advantage of the fixtures, hopefully by Christmas we can be in the top two.

"It's always been our aim to be in the top two, even after that bad run we had.

"If we aim for the top two and fall short, then we'll be in the play-offs."

Saints go into tomorrow's game at Hull on a terrific run.

They have put together three consecutive wins, scoring nine goals.

They have taken 14 of their last 18 points and are now six games unbeaten.

Full interview in today's Daily Echo