Nathan Redmond and Southampton eyeing top-half finish

12 May 2017 02:24

Nathan Redmond is targeting a top-half Premier League finish with Southampton this season - but knows Saints may need to win their remaining three games to achieve it.

Claude Puel's side have gone off the boil in recent weeks and have taken just two points from their last five matches.

Southampton's last win came over West Brom on April 8 and the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday night means finishing inside the top 10 is now a challenge.

Despite such a forgettable run, the south-coast club will definitely end the campaign in the top-half by winning their remaining matches.

They face relegated Middlesbrough on Saturday before a Manchester United side with more than one eye on the Europa League final visit St Mary's on Wednesday, with a home clash with Stoke bringing the curtain down on Puel's first season in charge.

Former Norwich winger Redmond has settled in well since he joined Saints last summer and he wants form to lift as the season reaches it's climax.

"We would like to finish strong," he told saintsfc.co.uk.

"We want to finish in the top half of the table and as high as we can. We need maximum points from our last three games to do so.

"I think with two games in a week and four in two weeks it is important, whatever the result, that you bounce back and put the last game to bed and focus on the next game at hand."

A trip to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside may seem a good place to start their run-in with a bang, but Redmond admits it can be a different challenge when coming up against a side with nothing to lose.

"A little bit," he replied when asked if he was wary of Boro's situation.

"At the same time you have to go out there and respect them regardless of their situation. We have a task at hand, we want to win the game at that is our main focus."

Southampton's recent ills have been mainly caused by a lack of goal threat, with the loss to Arsenal the third game in a row where they have failed to score.

"We have been working hard on it in training," Redmond added.

"There is a time where everything we touched would go in at one point, especially for the likes of Gabbi (Manolo Gabbiadini), Charlie (Austin) and myself, it is just about keeping plugging away and the chances we get, we will be sure to put them away soon."

Southampton announced on Friday that they will sport charity-branded shirts for their clash with United.

The game against Jose Mourinho's side will see Saints wear home shirts with 'Scope' emblazoned on them as their main sponsor Virgin Media look to support the disability charity.

Source: PA