Jose Fonte was left frustrated after Saints failed to take their chances at Spurs, but the skipper could still reflect on a positive start to the season.

The centre-half, left, felt the team were worthy of taking something from the trip to White Hart Lane, but conceded that missed opportunities had cost them.

While Fonte was not dissatisfied with the performance, he says a higher standard has been set and that the players must strive to live up to it.

“We don’t accept defeats,” he said. “We’re at the stage in our club where we are used to winning.

“In the dressing room after the game it was very disappointing and frustrating, and we know next time we have to do better and take our chances because today wasn’t good enough.

“If we want to compete against the best and be one of the best we need to go into the next level and that means perhaps taking the chances we had.

“We had three or four decent chances to score.

“We need to improve on that. Obviously, we conceded a goal just before half-time and we need to be more tight at the back as well. So something to learn and something to improve.”

For all the frustration there may have been in the aftermath of this defeat, it was still only a second loss of the season, with Saints heading into the latest international break third in the Premier League table.

By anyone’s reckoning, that is a superb start to the campaign.

“This team is only developing and getting to know each other a little bit more,” said Fonte.

“It’s a positive start, with 13 points after seven games. We need to look to the future with bright eyes and we keep on working.”

Christian Eriksen’s first-half strike separated the sides, but Saints had good chances to earn a point, with none being greater than the gilt-edged opportunity that Sadio Mane missed late in the game.

Fonte, one of 16 Saints players who departed for international duty after the match, felt the team did enough to deserve something out of it.

“I thought we controlled the game, in the second half especially,” said the defender, who has been called-up to the Portugal squad for the first time.

“We were completely in control and we had the chances to win the game.

“I’m not disappointed a lot with the performance, because we came to a pitch that is traditionally difficult and it’s a good team we are playing against, full of stars and quality players, and we matched them and we, even in the second half, created more chances than them.

“I’m not disappointed with the performance too much, but with the result of course – we took nothing from the game, so it’s something to improve.”