Ronald Koeman says Saints are “full of confidence” as they try to secure European football in a decisive final day game at Manchester City.

Saints could finish in fifth, sixth or seventh going into their season finale at the Etihad Stadium, and are on the back of a resounding 6-1 win against Aston Villa.

Though that was a fitting St Mary’s send off for the campaign, Koeman insists his side are not checking out for their summer holidays just yet with a vital fixture ahead.

He said: “We know, and when you have Man City in front of you you don’t think you play already the last one.

“The players are full of confidence.

“We know it’s a great stadium to play, it’s great to play against them and we need a good result.”

Saints go into the game two points behind fifth placed Liverpool and one back of sixth placed Tottenham. Liverpool travel to Stoke on the final day while Spurs are away to Everton.

Fifth place will secure automatic qualification for the group stages of the Europa League.

Sixth place is already good enough for a Europa League spot, thanks to Chelsea winning the League Cup, but will only provide automatic group stage qualification if Arsenal win the FA Cup final against Villa. If Villa were to win then sixth place would mean two qualification rounds to get to the group stages, starting at the end of July.

Seventh, therefore, is only going to yield a Europa League spot, with those qualification matches, if Arsenal win the FA Cup.

If Saints could secure Europe off their own backs, and finish above Liverpool and Tottenham after the departures of star players and the manager to those clubs last summer, it would be a monumental achievement.

It would also set them up perfectly for another big season.

Koeamn reflected: “I think to stay and to keep comfortable position on the table (next season) but we know the expectations will be more higher than it was in this season and that makes it more difficult.”