Southampton's Martin expecting big Birmingham effort for Mowbray

Mowbray has taken a step back from the Midlands club due to illness - with Birmingham assistant Mark Venus now in caretaker charge.

The Blues are 18th in the Championship and involved in a relegation battle - but they have not lost at St Andrew's since Boxing Day.

Martin is aware of the threat Birmingham pose and wants a quick start from his team on Saturday.

He said: "It’s always a tough place to go. It’s a bit of a cliché but they have such a good manager and (Tony Mowbray) is such a good guy.

Birmingham manager Tony Mowbray has undergone surgery this year (Image: PA)

"Whenever I’ve played against him, you see the players enjoy what they’re doing, and they run hard. Mark (Venus) has been with him for a long time.

"I’m sure they are fighting hard because no one wants to see that happen to a good person.

"They will be desperately trying hard for him so when he comes back to the club, it’s in a really good place.

"They’re difficult to play against, and they’re really committed in their press so it’s going to be an interesting game.

"I think the challenge for us now is to try and turn the game into what we want it to be as early as possible in the game wherever we go.

"If we can produce the level of performance, we did against West Brom and on Wednesday night (against Liverpool) then I’ll be more than happy."

Martin's side have lost three of their last four matches in the Championship to drop to fourth in the table - behind Leicester City, Leeds United, and Ipswich Town.

Saints visit all three teams in the run-in but have three weeks without a match after they host Sunderland on Saturday, March 9, due to the international break.

Martin is looking forward to the extra time on the training pitch and is already planning on how to utilise that period.

He continued: "We want to go into that break in a good place and feeling good about things. 

"We have a lot of guys that will go away on international duty and we want to feel good about the run-in. 

"After that international break, that is it - there will be no respite and no break, it will be full-on. We are already working on how best to use that international break.

"There will be rest needed for some of them after 11 games in 35 days, and for ourselves as well.

"If we can go into the break with a big week this week then it will help everything in that preparation period. 

"It has been relentless and it will carry on being relentless this week but I am excited about this team and feel alive after Wednesday night."