Every word Southampton manager Martin said after Stoke City

Into the quarter-final of the cup - is that the most important thing?

RM: Yeah,we spoke before the game about winning it and making sure we get through.

I came back in and saw Brentford with a really strong team out struggling against Championship opposition, it's never easy in the cup.

We got through, we made it tougher than it should have been for sure, but we also showed a bit of character to get through a bit of adversity in the game at 2-2.

I came down from the stand at 2-0 and by the time I got over here we conceded a goal which was madness because we were so dominant in the first half.

I really enjoyed the performance but I think the final decision in the box in the final third wasn't quite there and we should have made more of the dominance we had.

So much of it was good, the ball speed, running to goal, created a bit - and should have had a bit more to show for it probably.

At, 2-1, the context of the game changes completely, so I was annoyed about that. And then we're trying to be aggressive and we were territorially.

We had so many players high up the pitch and then get caught on the counter-attack and we're trying to score again. 

Finally, Breezy scores and the defenders spent a lot of time in the opposition in the final third tonight because we were aggressive and dominated territory.

We were playing against a team that defended so well, big numbers, so credit to them, they're fighting and they were really well organised and well coached.

Thankfully the moment of quality won it. I think we deserved to win. Big credit to Stoke but we deserved to win but just made it a bit tougher than we should.

The guys were a bit annoyed coming in, they didn't look very happy, so I reminded them they're allowed to smile that we won and we're in the quarter-final.

Written for James Bree to score another cracker in the cup?

RM: It's nice for Breezy. I think he's such a good lad as you guys who have had a bit of access to him and have interviewed him and stuff will know.

I think you understand what a good person he is and he's really unassuming, really humble, a brilliant pro, in great shape and looks a million dollars.

He's always in the gym, trains so hard, can play different positions and is willing to always. And whenever we need him on the pitch, he does a brilliant job for us.

We don't underestimate his value in the squad. He's been unfortunate in his time here, he's playing behind someone like Kyle Walker-Peters a lot of the time.

Whenever he's asked to play on the left, he's been great. He's a brilliant teammate and person, I'm really pleased for him and singled him out in the dressing room.

That is his worst nightmare because he's so humble. He's shy and unassuming but he really deserves it and I'm really pleased for him.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis your second top scorer and on three goals now - a big threat?

RM: I think we have missed the second-best big chances in the league, which is a frustration. Someone showed me that stat yesterday actually.

It's a source of frustration really, so we need to work on that, but Taylor's brilliant at attacking set plays and we do a lot of work on them.

We concede one tonight out of not detail but complacency I think, because the game at that point is really in our hands and we're so dominant.

But you can't have a second where you're not doing the right job at the right intensity and we paid the price for that. Taylor stuck to the detail.

It's a brilliant delivery from Mateus Fernandes and the deliveries have been more consistent over the last few weeks. We should have scored a few more.

I think Joe Aribo against Leicester, Taylor hits the bar against Arsenal. There's been some good moments, we need to keep working on it.

Ryan Fraser came off early today, is he okay?

RM: We had a few guys that were going to play tonight that can't because they're not very well. We had a bit of a virus and stuff in the camp.

I think everyone's had it at various points over the last couple of weeks. Flynn could have been in the game but he was just not feeling very well.

Wee Man was sort of not feeling great before the game but wanted to give it a go and then just felt a bit tight and a bit tired.

He didn't have the usual spark he normally has so he came off but he gave it a go and wanted to give it a go and I think that'll be important for him.

Even having half an hour and hopefully, he feels better very quickly. I do expect by Friday or hopefully Thursday, we'll have everyone back training and feeling okay.

Who else has been affected by illness? 

RM: Jack Stephens was on the bench but maybe would have played if he felt better after Saturday. Adam Armstrong's fine, we're just managing his minutes. 

We had a couple of guys at the training ground like Ryan Manning that, like the other guys that are not involved, just ticked over really.

He's not been feeling great since the weekend. I expect some of them to train tomorrow and most of them, if not all, to be ready by Thursday or Friday.

Will the manner of the collapse, after Leicester, be a big concern for people?

RM: I think it's frustrating. It should never have happened. I do think we also have to take into account many players are playing for the first time in a long time.

Also a lot of players who are playing together for the first time in a long time, if not some of them for the first time properly. 

We defended against the best team in the world so well on Saturday so that needs to be the mentality moving forward. Leicester we were down to 10 men.

Man United we were down to 10 men. But we've been so competitive we need to keep competing and make sure we win the game on Saturday.

How much can that first goal of the season do for Adam Armstrong?

RM: I think it'll be big for him. Hopefully, it will kick-start his season. He's been really unfortunate because we were playing him as number nine.

I don't think he's been his most effective for us as a nine. I think he's always been out wide probably, even though he did a great job in the play-offs for us.

I think for us he's been most effective playing wide but he had to play nine because Cam Archer came in fairly late and wasn't used to the style of play.

Paul Onuachu was a bit up in the air. Whilst he was doing that he came out of the team and Tyler Dibling came in on the right, who's one of our top performers. 

It's been really difficult to leave Arma out because I think we're a better team with him in it for sure because of his character and his personality.

It is also his understanding of what we need and his willingness to run. Tonight will do him the world of good. I thought he was brilliant until he got a bit tired.

What work has Harwood-Bellis been doing to improve attacking set-pieces?

RM: I think since he's come in he's been really aggressive. He wants to head the ball. Of course, it comes a bit down to physical prowess and athleticism.

But I think the biggest thing is mentality, that you want to go and score and you want to head the ball. Then it's about the detail after that.

We are trying to free Taylor up as much as we can - and the quality of the delivery matters. But I think the biggest thing is his mentality.

He believes he's going to score and he believes he's going to head the ball and he's good at it.

Mateus Fernandes looked like he was overstretched, is he okay?

RM: He's just feeling a few niggles. I think he's a young man who's played a lot of games already this season at a big intensity.

He covers the most, him and Flynn, the most distance on the pitch in terms of high-speed running, sprint distance and all that.

We knew he would probably not go 90 minutes if we wanted him in the best shape for Saturday. I think it was the right call to get him off the pitch.

What was your view like at the top of the Kingsland stand?

RM: It was a good view. I didn't really enjoy it, but it was a nice view. But you want to be there and feel things with your team.

(Matt) Gilly's done a good job of communicating onto the pitch and I think he's probably relieved he hasn't got an earpod in with me shouting at him anymore.

I don't want to spend much time there. I just need to behave better. Although I would say one booking was deserved, I'm not convinced about the other two.

Did you learn anything different from being up there?

RM: No, not really. I think you see things clearer and quicker. I think that helps. But we have a group of guys that are always up there on the mic anyway in games.

Ben Parker has been with me since we were in the dungeon at MK Dons for 10 hours a day five years ago, so he understands and knows everything. 

We really trust them guys anyway. And Colin Coldwood sits up there now as well to give us another pair of eyes and ears. I think that works quite well. 

You named a strong side tonight but did anyone give you food for thought?

RM: It's good to get Yuki through 90 minutes. He's feeling it a bit now so we'll have to see how he recovers in the next few days.

I don't think we learned anything new today. I think some people perform well in moments and then others show why they're not quite in the team yet.

But they can definitely help us. People like Joe Aribo and Adam Armstrong, it was and that, it was really important to get 90 minutes into or 80 odd minutes. 

Is it good to be sitting there with a win next to your name?

RM: Yes, it's been a while. It feels good but listen, I want the performance to be better. But I made a mistake last year. 

We beat Watford at home when we were 2-0 up and went 2-2 and then Flynn scored in the 99th minute and I went to town on the players after the game.

I think it surprised a lot of them because we managed to win the game. I think I learned my lesson from that really because we didn't win after that.

I think it affected us a bit and we need to celebrate every victory as a group, whether it's against the Championship team in the cup or a Premier League game.

You have to enjoy those moments. They came in a bit flat and not smiling and then by the end, they are and the music was on. Hopefully, we carry that on.

Do you have to hold back in the league as well with the results you're getting?

RM: I'm learning all the time this season. I think I've learned as much this season as I've done in any other season and we're like nine games in.

I'm enjoying that side of it. I think we need to try to put into play everything we've learned so far this season on Saturday.

For us, the challenge and the learning is about trying to remain who we want to be and trying to be better at that and grow under big spotlight and scrutiny.

Then the rest will take care of itself. Then I'll be fine and comfortable with whatever happens. I really believe in this group. I really believe in what we're doing.

Pep Guardiola believes in what you're doing as well. Do you take anything from his words?

RM: We had a good chat after the game. I think one of the things is that he is the best ever and enjoys watching your team.

And says you can hurt his team a little bit by doing what you feel is the most important thing for us - to try and defend the ball and build up in a certain way.

Then, yeah, I think you take big pride in that in the performance. But we didn't win and that's the most frustrating feeling that you leave with.

I think the players took a lot from that, the feedback they had from their opponents and the players on the pitch. I think it will be a big moment for us.