Ronald Koeman says he is not afraid of what the next week holds for Saints.

After such a wonderful start to the season that has seen Saints push themselves to second in the Premier League table, the club have a huge hat-trick of games.

They welcome Manchester City and United to St Mary’s with the small matter of a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal sandwiched in between.

It’s a daunting set of fixtures, and some are worried that the Saints bubble might burst.

Not though Koeman, who is as cool as ever heading into a decisive period of the season that will surely tell whether Saints can challenge for a top four place or will sink back down the division.

“I feel happy and not afraid for this week,” smiled Koeman.

“I am positive and I know that we have a strong team and that we can beat everyone in the Premier League and we have to show it and it’s football, you never know.

“You have to prepare yourselves, to keep your way of playing and don’t change if the opponent is City.

“We know that we have a lot of points already, we know that.

“It’s a good feeling because then you will be not under pressure.

“We put our pressure because we think that we can do better than last season.

“That’s the target, in my opinion, and we will see if we reach that.”

Perhaps last Monday night’s game against Aston Villa game shows just exactly where Saints’ ambitions lie this year.

The thinking generally is that a point away from home is a good result in the Premier League and yet, despite trailing for much of the game, Saints were disappointed to leave Villa Park with only a point.

“We are growing up because everybody was a little bit disappointed after last Monday and that says a lot because it’s not a bad result a draw away against Villa but we had a little bit of a feeling it was not good enough today,” reflected Koeman.

“That’s a good quality to realise that and that means a lot but it’s nice to show the qualities and it’s always more attention if you play City at home than another team.

“We showed a great character in the team game because we were 1-0 down and we had the confidence in our style and trying to score the goal and had patience until the end of the game and that was important because if you are losing the game you are a bit more in a hurry and lose good organisation in the team and we didn’t and that way very positive.

“The feeling after 1-1 was OK because we understand we don’t beat everyone so easily and you have to fight and we had a big mistake for 1-0 but we kept the spirit in the team and the character in the team until the last minute and that was very positive.”

Koeman believes Saints are coming up against sides who may now tinker their own system to try and blunt their attacking threat.

“Of course. If you saw how Villa played it as not very offensive. It was defending.

“OK, if they think that’s the best way, OK. It was a draw.

“Opponents watching Southampton know now more than after the first game the qualities of Southampton and that’s normal. We like to do the same and we have to do the same.

“They respect and they know the qualities and maybe they are more prepared than Liverpool was in the first game of the season.”

As well as the physical challenges of playing three such massive games in just nine days, there is also the mental aspect to consider and the pressure Saints’ stars will be under.

It’s something the likes of City are accustomed to, “It’s difficult because they have that experience and we don’t have that experience,” admitted Koeman.

“We have experience in the Premier League but we don’t have the experience that you play every three days on a high level.

“They are always under pressure in the Champions League and Premier League and fight for the title and if they lose they have critics and they are used to that. The coach is very experienced and it’s not a problem.”

Certainly these matches are going to test Saints.

Koeman is taking a relaxed approach though and refusing to look any further ahead than the next game.

“You can’t plan in football,” he insisted.

“If there are two days between the first and the second game there is no problem.

“Of course if you play three games in one week then we will not take a big risk with some players who are not 100 per cent because you prefer they are good for the next game.

“We prepared ourselves for Sunday and then we work to Arsenal and after Wednesday we think about United but nothing else.”

He also confessed it was new territory for him as it is something he hasn’t experienced before.

“No because in Holland you don’t play that kind of games in one week.

“The schedule is made and we know from the beginning of the season our programme and we know we have a tough December month but for everybody.

“The big teams have to play in Europe, keep going in the Premier League and we have the quarter-final against Sheffield Untied for the Capital One Cup.

“It will be good if we don’t have injuries because it would be more easy.”

Koeman is just hoping his side can avoid losing major players during this busy period.

If they can then they have a real chance of achieving something very special.

“The squad is strong enough but if you will have a big problem with injuries and a lot of players out then it will be difficult because then we know we don’t have the qualities that the big teams do in the squad,” he said.

“We have young players, still not on the level and need experience. We know that.”