Ronald Koeman says his Saints side are relishing the high expectations their flying start to the season has brought, and believes they have a chance of playing European football next year.

Saints made it three wins in a week as they fought out a 1-0 victory over Hull, secured via Victor Wanyama’s brilliant finish after just three minutes.

The side remain second in the Premier League table and have progressed through to the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup in a wonderful beginning to the season which has left the whole city buzzing and wanting more.

Koeman is relishing it.

“The expectation is high and I like that because we like to win something,” he said. “We are football players and we like to win games and if you win games you will have good possibilities, maybe to play in Europe, you never know.

“Everybody knows we have to work hard every day and the players are incredible in the way they are acting together.

“The spirit again we showed is important and we have to keep that. It’s easy to keep that if you win, it’s more difficult to keep that if you lose.

“If we keep like this it can be a fantastic season.”

Koeman was even asked whether Saints could back up the chants from their fans at the final whistle at the KC Stadium of ‘we’re going to win the league’ and mount a title challenge.

“Maybe, maybe, always positive but that’s not what will happen,” he smiled.

“We have a good team organisation and we showed that again in the second half.

“After the goal we were maybe a bit sloppy for 20-25 minutes. Hull controlled the game and dominated but didn’t create a lot of good chances.”

Video courtesy of Southampton FC's YouTube channel.