Fonte believes momentum now with Southampton

Momentum may be intangible but it is one of the most powerful forces in sport and Jose Fonte is convinced it is now on Southampton’s side.

A slow start to the campaign saw the Saints pick up just two points from new manager Claude Puel’s first four games at the helm – home draws against Watford and Sunderland.

But things have turned round over the past few days as Sparta Prague were dispatched 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday evening before Charlie Austin’s effort secured a 1-0 win over Swansea on Sunday – their first Premier League victory of the season.

(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Next up for Puel’s troops is an EFL Cup clash with Crystal Palace – one of Fonte’s former clubs – at St Mary’s on Wednesday.

And the defender claims that in addition to picking up back-to-back victories, the clean sheets maintained by the Saints’ backline were also particularly pleasing.

“We needed one,” said Fonte of the clean sheet. “We’re always going to create chances because we play good football and we just needed to get back to the clean sheets.

“It’s massive and now we need to carry on the momentum. We won in the Europa League and we have another game Wednesday so we just want to keep going now.”