Saints have been buoyed by the prospect of chasing down both Liverpool and Tottenham in the closing weeks of the season.

Liverpool suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Hull in midweek, their game in hand, leaving just one point separating the Reds, Tottenham and Saints, who will battle it out for fifth, sixth and seventh places in the last four games.

With European football only guaranteed for the top six at present, there is plenty of incentive for Saints to see the job through.

Saints boss Ronald Koeman believes that chasing down two sides rather than one is better for his side.

“Yes, of course, it’s always more easy to fight against two than to fight against one team about a place for European football and it means it’s difficult,” he said.

“It’s difficult for everybody. Ok, but it’s all about yourself. If you win, you will go, and the two away games now are very important.”

There has been talk in some quarters over whether Saints would want to qualify for the Europa League, given the strain it puts on a squad and the often negative effect it wreaks on league form, but Koeman has no qualms about it.

“I hope that will be the problem for the next season,” he insisted. “I like to go in Europe because it’s good publicity for the players, for the club, for the fans.

“We know that the Premier League will be more difficult because you play a lot but that’s the problem for next season.

“We do everything to try and reach the Europa League.”

He added: “First of all I know because I was part of European football and it’s difficult to keep focus, and you have to travel. Champions League is still different, because you play the Tuesday, Wednesday and then Europa League you play the Thursday – it is more close to the league game.

“But for the club, for the players, for me, for the fans, for the press, it’s amazing if we reach that and if we get that kind of problems ok we have to resolve that.”

Executive director Les Reed spoke earlier in the week of a five year plan for the club that would culminate in Champions League football, but Koeman admits that is hard to achieve.

“It’s always good to have really a planning but planning in football sometimes is difficult,” he reflected.

“We try to make steps and I think Southampton last season, this season, is playing well and doing well and between the first eight team in the Premier League and always you do in a better way.

“Maybe regular European football and the highest place in that is Champions League and still it’s a dream.

“In a part of this season it was maybe possible but it’s very difficult to keep that level all season and fight against the big ones.”