Saints were left to bemoan yet another away tie in the Capital One Cup but have a good chance of continuing their run towards Wembley.

Ronald Koeman watched the draw from the press room at the Britannia Stadium after his side progressed to the quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory over Stoke.

He admitted he was hoping to finally have a home draw having had three ties on the road so far in the competition this season.

He had a wry smile as he left the room after his side were drawn away to Sheffield United, smiling “another away game. Not bad.”

But that Saints have a tie against a League One side, albeit just days after they face Burnley away in the Premier League, gives them a great chance of progression in a competition Koeman has targeted winning.

“It’s important because maybe the big teams change more because of the programme they have to play because of the Champions League but we don’t have European football,” he said.

“In the end it’s a title and maybe it’s not the most important one, but we never won a title and that’s the possibility to show the spirit in the team.”

Remarkably, if Saints did win the Capital One Cup, they would have played away from home in every round, with four away ties before a home and away semi-final and then a showpiece match at Wembley.

Elsewhere in the competition Bournemouth have a glamour home tie with Liverpool.

Former Saints bosses Alan Pardew and Mauricio Pochettino will go head-to-head.

Newcastle will head to Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup after dumping holders Manchester City out of the competition with a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.

Rolando Aarons and substitute Moussa Sissoko got the goals against a lacklustre City side, who looked out of sorts for a third straight match.

Chelsea will travel to Derby.

Capital One Cup quarter-final draw:

Derby v Chelsea

Tottenham v Newcastle

Bournemouth v Liverpool

Sheffield United v Southampton

Matches to be played in the week commencing December 15