SAINTS continued pre-season preparations with a 1-0 win over Millwall on Saturday afternoon.

Adam Armstrong made no mistake from four yards out after Will Smallbone's cross slipped through Millwall keeper Lukas Jensen's hands.

Substitute Tyler Dibling was denied his second goal of pre-season when his well-hit shot smashed the crossbar.

Ben Brereton Diaz came on for the final 20 minutes as he got his first taste of action in a Saints shirt.

Southampton returned to The Den, the site of their dramatic 1-0 win last season, as they continued preparations ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

Martin was keen to see a marked improvement from his players following their disappointing 2-0 defeat at Oxford United in midweek.

New signing Brereton Diaz was named in the squad for the first time since his arrival from Villarreal.

However, there was no place for Kamaldeen Sulemana and Sekou Mara after they suffered injuries at Oxford.

Millwall were playing their final pre-season friendly ahead of getting the Championship campaign under way against Watford next weekend.

Their energy was evident from the off as they worked tirelessly to pinch the ball from Saints, who looked for neat patterns as an entry into the box.

It was a switchball that unlocked their first shot. Flynn Downes found Yukinari Sugawara who thrashed an effort at Lukas Jensen from just inside the box.

Jensen denied Saints once again minutes later when he smothered Will Smallbone's low cross as he looked to cut back for Armstrong.

Millwall responded by putting the ball in the back of the net from a free-kick delivery. Luckily for Saints, the flag was raised and the goal did not stand.

Southampton restarted the game with a quick free-kick and had Sam Edozie one-on-one, but the winger was unable to fire past the keeper.

Martin opted to go more attacking on the hour by introducing the exciting Sam Amo-Ameaw in place of captain Jack Stephens.

Aribo had a golden chance seconds later - the Nigerian international failed to divert Armstrong's flick-on beyond Jensen from a tight angle.

The Danish keeper was not as reliable during Southampton's next attack. He dropped Smallbone's cross from the right, allowing Armstrong to crash home the opener.

Armstrong was soon withdrawn, in place of former Blackburn Rovers teammate Brereton Diaz, who played the final 20 minutes.

Fellow substitute Dibling came agonisingly close to doubling the lead when he saw a fierce effort come back off the crossbar.

Saints: McCarthy, Sugawara (Bree, 80'), Harwood-Bellis (Edwards, 80'), Bednarek (Wood, 45'), Taylor (Manning, 45'), Stephens (Amo-Ameyaw, 61'), Downes (Charles, 80'), Smallbone (Alcaraz, 80'), Aribo (Robinson, 80'), Edozie (Dibling, 70'), Armstrong (Brereton Diaz, 70').

Millwall: Jensen, Hutchinson (Harding 45'), Cooper, Bradshaw, Bryan, Leonard, Watmore (Emakhu, 74'), Saville, De Norre, Esse, Honeyman.