FORMER Premier League defender Joleon Lescott admitted “prevention is always better than the cure” as he assessed Southampton’s defence after a 5-0 beating at Sunderland.

The St Mary’s side were hammered in the northeast despite an unbeaten start to the Championship season under manager Russell Martin.

Eight of the 12 goals they have conceded so far this season, which is the most of any team in the division, have come from crosses or set-pieces.

Lescott, who made 287 top-flight appearances and now assists head coach Lee Carsley with England’s under-21 setup, insists he is not worried about Southampton’s record.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Lescott said: “There’s multiple reasons why it can happen there is no way one factor.

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“The impact and lack of confidence can roll over, or you can assume that ‘Now we’re in the Championship, we’ll dominate’.

“It doesn’t tend to work like that. There’s a different type of goal that can be scored or is looked to be scored in the Championship so maybe that is a factor.

“Long gone are the days where people say it’s the hardest thing to do in football to score. I honestly think it’s now keeping a clean sheet.”

He added: “There’s a lot more data used in regards to how to attack, but if you know that the left-side is the weak link – for example – you would target based on those outcomes.

“You’ve got to look and think are the tactics best placed for the players or whether it’s just one he wants to employ. As a defender, am I being unnecessarily exposed here?

“Prevention is always better than the cure and as a defender, you want to stop the cross before you defend. If you can stop it before it gets to the area, you’re doing a good job.

“It’s not going to be like that every week, conceding five every week, no way. You get over it by working hard, analysing the goals collectively and individually to see what you need to work on.”

The former Manchester City man, who knows personally a number of Southampton’s signings coming from the Premier League champions, works with one in particular at England.

European youth champion Taylor Harwood-Bellis signed for Saints on deadline day this month and continues to feature in Lescott’s Young Lions.

“Taylor Harwood-Bellis will put his head on the line, as fans want to hear, and hopefully you’ll see that he is fully committed to the cause,” Lescott said.

“In general, I think there’s a lot more opportunities to score goals across the board because defending the box is a dying art now. It exposes a lot more people in open play.

“I know the majority of them signings if not all of them, and they are all great kids – you have to recognise there will be inconsistencies in their game.

“However, they all have a lot of talent and are eager to learn so I’m confident they will do well over the course of their stay at Saints.

“It was down to Jason Wilcox to get them there and Joe Shields as well, who was head of academy recruitment at City and worked with them all as well.”