Daily Echo:

Mauricio Pellegrino admitted it was “one step backward” as his side were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Wolves - but believes it could have a positive effect as it gives Saints more time to prepare for Premier League games.

Saints were beaten 2-0 at St Mary’s by Championship side Wolves, who left all of the starting 11 from their previous league game at home.

The defeat means there will be no return trip to Wembley for Saints, who now face the prospect of a season with only the Premier League and FA Cup to focus on.

However, for Pellegrino, that might not be such a bad thing.

He said: “The best news for us is maybe it will be better we have more time to prepare better the Premier League games and try to learn from today.”

Saints’ poor performance was a far cry from the elation following the last gasp win over West Ham just days earlier.

“It is one step backward in our way, in our performance,” admitted Pellegrino.

“We knew that Wolves is a difficult game and difficult team and defensively really strong and they don’t concede too much.

“It was difficult in the first half and at the end we create chances to score and we couldn’t.

“At the top level when you stop a little bit your focus and concentration at the end when you want to react it’s a little bit late.

“The difference was for me the first 20 or 25 minutes in the second half where the rival managed the ball a little bit more but we conceded in a set play and this changed the direction.”

Pellegrino, who made just six changes to the side that defeated the Hammers, started with a new look formation of three at the back.

Daily Echo:

When asked whether he felt it had worked or not he said: “I think we controlled the wingers to stop the crosses and when they switched play we were close to them.

“We controlled better their offensive players, but the problem for me was the offensive level we couldn’t find this strength and space to try to connect our best player in attack to try to create more.”

He added: “I think they were more focussed than us in the second half in those 25 minutes but when we managed the game better than them we couldn’t score and they scored in one set play.

“They never create too many chances especially in the first half and more or less it was really the same.

“In this aspect I think that they were more intelligent in defence and this was the difference.”