Every word Southampton manager Martin said ahead of Manchester United

How have you found being a Premier League manager with heightened scrutiny?

RM: I don't feel any different when I stand on the sideline, it feels exactly the same as it did when I first started at MK Dons. 

At that point, you're immersed in the game and you only think about the team, not these changes in the level of scrutiny and the media demands and all that stuff.

It's the same job, it's just the level of competition that is different. I'm enjoying it, I'm really enjoying it, I've enjoyed the learning.

I think we've learned a lot in the first few games, I feel like we're really close to being who we want to be and what we want to be.

We need to improve on the first few games, as we do after any game, we try and improve what we do and learn from what we do.

Have you enjoyed the international break - has the criticism been overwhelming? 

RM: I've enjoyed the break and so on, seeing what we really need to focus on. It's not overwhelming at all - it's the job.

I don't enjoy it either, it's not a problem but it doesn't overwhelm me one bit, it's just part of the job. It's the same last season.

We had a period last season at the start where we had a really tough time and then people can say what they want with very little recourse.

People who don't watch us very often, I treat it all the same. The same people who said things after losing four games last season then spoke about what a brilliant job I've done.

They said I need to make a change, they'll be the same people who are doing that now after three games, three defeats. I treat it all the same, whether it's positive or negative.

The people that are in here really are the only ones I am concerned about. The people here who work with me every day, who know me, who understand us and what we want.

The noise heightens in the Premier League but it really doesn't impact or affect what I do, what we do. I find it quite interesting and sometimes quite enjoy some of the comments.

Certain people say things that I think would love to play with a team like this because they're really good players and they understand what we do and why we do it.

They could actually build an understanding and have an opinion, but people are paid to have an opinion, and sometimes based on very little evidence.

You can say what you want and don't get called back about it two or three months later, whereas everything I say, you will question at any point.

Danny Murphy was one who was critical on Match of the Day

RM: I'm sure, if he was on this team, I hope he would, but listen, when you don't want people to not say what they want, and he's not the only one, I'm sure.

I really don't hear it, I've just been told about it there, and his was one name that was mentioned. My family do a good job of being angry at people, and I just carry on doing my job.

Will we see different personnel in this game against Man United? 

RM: Yeah, I think after three defeats, there inevitably will be changes. How many, you'll have to wait and see in who.

It's such a difficult position because I feel fiercely loyal to some players that helped get us to the Premier League, and I've been in that position.

I have to balance that loyalty and what they did last season with what some are actually doing now, and the place they're in right now.

Also with the level of talent that's come into the building. They need a bit of time to adapt but we've brought in some really brilliant players.

It's about trying to get that right for them to come into the team. Last season we signed a few players that took a while to get up to speed, for sure.

It's very different to what they did before and then we signed a couple in January as well that took a while to get up to speed, and we threw them in probably a bit too early.

Eventually they really got going and helped us a lot. It's always a balance, and maybe I haven't got that right - but maybe, out of loyalty.

We kept going with the guys, and also because we're so close, and then the Brentford game happens. There was some really good stuff, some not so good stuff.

I think now it's inevitable that changes will be made, and people will have opportunities that they need to take.

Personnel changes but the vision isn't going to change, is it? You have a large squad to pick from - how big a challenge is that?

RM: That's an interesting challenge for us, and a different challenge for us, but they're all involved in the process every single day.

The toughest job is to take people out of the teams. The hardest part of the job is to leave a good number of players out of the squad.

I don't think we planned to have a squad this big, but some of the outgoings didn't quite come off and didn't quite go to plan.

Leaving a lot of very good players out of the squad is not easy, but it's up to us to manage that. I think the one thing we do have with the players is a brilliant relationship.

They are open and honest relationships. Hopefully, they always understand why - they don't have to agree with it at all, but they respect that they always get told the truth.

It is my opinion. I don't expect them to like it and not to be involved in stuff like that, but they're all back now, they're all trained today, they're in a really good place.

I've loved the way they've trained today, everyone. The guys who are not involved as well, and they'll have to put it on the pitch.

Can I just ask you about Ben Brereton-Diaz, because he came off after 35 minutes for Chile?

RM: It's not an injury, so I guess the coach has his own reasons, but it's not my job to ring the Chile coach and find out why Ben comes off.

I'm sure Ben will give me his reasons, but he's here now and that's done. He has another cap. We have a lot of guys who went away and had a good time.

There are some guys who come back a bit frustrated with a lack of minutes or very few minutes. Thankfully they've all come back injury-free.

I think that's all you can ever ask for as a manager after an international break.

It's been a difficult few weeks since the start of the season for Erik ten Hag - can you imagine what the scrutiny is like for him at the moment?

RM: I don't know him and I haven't come across him I've watched a lot of his team recently to analyse them and understand what can hurt us and how we can try and hurt them.

I hope to be under that level of scrutiny that he is someday in a job like that. Of course, it has to be the aim.

I know he's working with a guy that I had the pleasure of working with in Jason Wilcox. So he'll be there supporting him, I'm sure, because he's a great person.

I owe him a lot for giving me the opportunity here and the relationship we had. I'm sure he has a lot of support at that club.

They are a team full of top, top talent, really top players that on their day can really hurt anyone. We have to make sure that we approach the game in our way.

We want to try and be the team we want to be at home and really bring a performance and a result that we can be proud of.

If you see Jason at St Mary's this weekend, will you embrace him or a little dig in the ribs?

RM: A bit of both, I think. No, I'll embrace him. Of course, he was brave enough to stick his neck out and give me the job along with the owners.

I will always be grateful for that - but it was how he was with us in here as well and the level of respect and care and support.

I think the actual belief in what we were doing was because he watched every single day. I'll always be and will always have a good relationship because of that.

I'll always be grateful to him and he deserves the opportunity he has now in a club like that. He's a really top operator and it'll be nice to see him.

With Man United, it's been more than 20 years since Saints beat them at home. How big an opportunity is this?

RM: It's not about hurting Manchester United. It's about us trying to win a game and it's about us trying to kick start our season and get ourselves going.

I don't care what it does to them. I'm not out to go and hurt Manchester United. I understand the sentiment, but I want to win a game of football for us.

It feels very much like the Leeds game for us last season. It was an early kick-off on Sky Sports after four defeats in a row. 

The guys came out with incredible aggression and intensity and put in a performance that really kick-started our season. We didn't lose for five months after that.

That's probably not going to happen in the Premier League but I hope that we can put in a level of performance that we did that day under big pressure really.

I want the guys just to enjoy themselves and be the team that they have been and we want to be. If we do that, I'm really convinced we can get a result.

Did you know then what this line-up is likely to look like after Brentford?

RM: I think it puts us in a much better place as a squad. There's so much competition for places, but I think I had a gut feeling straight after that game.

It hasn't gone too far from that and we all agree on it as a coaching staff. And maybe there are one or two differences.

We're really happy with the team we're going to put on the pitch. We're really happy with the work they've put in. We're really happy with where the guys are at.

We're really happy with how the players that are not coming out of the team have responded to that and they responded properly by being good team-mates.

Like I said, not enjoying the decision but training like beasts to push their team-mates and push us all to our best.

It reflects on everyone. I think now it's about making sure that it's justified and it's the right team and it's the team that goes on to win us a game of football.

How is the squad in terms of fitness and injuries? 

RM: Maxwel Cornet's in the squad. Everyone is pretty much fit now apart from Kamaldeen. Kamaldeen is very, very close to being fit.

We have a big squad and it's going to be a lot of selection headaches to get into the squad, let alone the starting XI.

How are you managing such a large squad?

RM: I am making sure the door is always open for them. That they train well with the team.

We try and adapt and be flexible with the training to make sure we can account for all the numbers but there will be days where they'll be very frustrated.

We sometimes have to just train with the squad. Otherwise, it's too many. We will take every session, with full attention on them at times when the starting guys don't need it.

We'll try and balance it as slowly as possible. They'll get everything from us and that's all we ever ask in return. They give us everything and there'll never be a problem.

Maybe one or two surprise us and can get back in the squad or the team and maybe they don't. Then we reassess in January.

It's not a problem because they're really good people and maybe they'll have a bit of frustration at the moment but they've responded really well.

What does Cornet add to your squad this season?

RM: He's got something different to what we have. He's really powerful. Really flexible on the front line.

He can play anywhere along the line. A really good character and I really like him. Flynn Downes spoke so highly. Charlie Taylor spoke so highly of him.

He scored goals at a level in a really brilliant breakthrough season in the Premier League but had a lot of injury issues at West Ham.

If we can keep him fit and get him back on track, it would be great for us and really good for him.

Do you think you can adapt to the Premier League in this style despite a tough start? 

RM: In five years or five seasons as a manager, it's been that way every single season. It takes a bit of time.

By the time they get into gear and into flow, they always get better as the season goes on. We have a lot of players who have joined that we have to mix.

It's an interesting balance but they've done some brilliant things already and we have to keep showing them that and making sure we're doing what we need to.

I think hopefully we will keep learning and keep developing. Ever since I started we have, and I believe that now with this group and this league, I'm really excited.

What are you expecting from Manchester United after their tough start? 

RM: I don't think any of us are underestimating Manchester United, the challenge, what it takes to play for that club and the level of individual talent they have.

And then the coach they have and the level he's been at. I don't think any of us are underestimating. It's going to be tough. It'll be a really tough game.

I'm really looking forward to the week. It'll be three brilliant games and people will have a chance to show what they can do and stake a claim to push forward.