Martin urges Southampton players to take next step and 'make history'

Adam Armstrong scored and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara to mark Southampton’s 19th league game without defeat.

They moved into the automatic places for the first time since the opening day of the season, before Ipswich won in the evening kick-off.

The unbeaten run is only bettered in the club’s history by a 24-match spell in 1896 and 1897.

Martin said: “We are on an unbeaten run where I’m immensely proud of the players.

Russell Martin urges his side to make it 20 league games unbeaten (Image: Stuart Martin)

"It is incredible what they have achieved and we have to keep it going as long as possible.

“We have never gone ‘we need to chase Leicester and Ipswich’. We are concentrating on ourselves and we’ll see where it takes us.

“It has never been a conscious focus for us but I want them to go and make some history next week."

He continued: “I want them to be remembered for that. I want them to do it and it has been an incredible achievement."

Adams opened the scoring after collecting an Armstrong cross before rounding a defender and lashing into the bottom corner.

Armstrong got his goal after Stuart Armstrong fed him before the former Blackburn man brilliantly provided for Fraser and Mara to make it nine straight home victories.

It leaves the number nine on 14 Championship goals and 11 assists this season - he was not credited officially for an assist on the Adams opener. 

Adam Armstrong is showing why he wears the captain's armband (Image: Stuart Martin)

Asked whether he thinks Armstrong will end the season on more goals or assists, Martin said: “If he carries on going I will be happy either way.

“He’s been so good and probably playing in a position he doesn’t want to play. He wants to be the number nine in the team but he’s playing a role he is playing so well in.

“The goals and the assists are what strikers get judged on but there is so much more to it than that with Adam.”