George Burley believes his £60m jackpot chasers have proved they can handle the big game pressure.

Saints face a play-off semi-final first leg clash with Derby at St Mary's at the weekend before heading for a return at an equally packed Pride Park next Tuesday.

If there was any question over bottle or character, it will surely be exposed in those two pressure-cooker situations.

But former Rams boss Burley has pointed to Saints winning three successive games under immense pressure in recent weeks to claim a top six finish as proof his side have what it takes.

He said: "Football never changes. You've got to be very focussed.

"There's not any secret answer to it, it's who's going to be the best over the two games, who's going to show the best form and hopefully it goes your way.

"Being able to cope with the pressure is important and we've had that in the last three games where we've needed to win.

"People maybe wrote us off a month ago but we got our heads down, knuckled down and have had three good performances and wins, which were necessary.

"We knew we would have to win all three and it proved because we wouldn't have been in the top six.

"Now we've earned the right to go to the next stage to get back to the Premiership."