Saints went for pace as their key weapon for attacking QPR as Ronald Koeman started Eljero Elia and Sadio Mane together for the first time.

The duo have speed to burn and with Elia on the left and Mane on the right, and later switching wings, they were a constant threat, with the latter netting the winner.

Koeman said: “It was a decision I took to play with Elia and with Sadio because normally QPR try to play on one line defensively and we spoke about to use the space with the speed of the fast players, which Elia is and Sadio is.

“We did that well first half, because we had some good actions and some good movements in the space behind the defenders but we didn’t score.

“We create a lot of problems with that and that was good to see. In the second half it was a little bit less but we keep the player and the spirit in the team and that was very good.”

Of Mane, he added: “Fantastic because he was in other games also the winning goalscorer.

“Today he was a little bit unlucky in the first half but he was so dangerous, and so fast and creating a lot of problems for the opponents and it’s very good to see that.”

Saints were good value for their 1-0 win at Loftus Road, even though it took until so late to bag the three points.

“I think it was a little bit similar to last week,” admitted Koeman. “I think we played good football. We were the dominating team until the last ten minutes, we had some good chances but we didn’t score.

“The team was doing very well and I’m proud of the players.

“They made it very difficult, it was really a battle and it wasn’t a 0-0 game because there were a lot of battles in the midfield, some good chances for Southampton and later QPR and finally maybe the most lucky because ten minutes before the end Fraser [keeper Fraser Forster] had a fantastic save to keep it at 0-0.

“We scored finally the winning goal, I think it was well deserved for the great spirit of the players and after last week it’s a great feeling to score in the last minute.

“I was happy with the performance of the players and a little bit more now with the three points.”