Defeats won't dent Clyne's confidence in Saints

Nathaniel Clyne insists Saints still believe they can achieve something special this season despite suffering three defeats on the spin.

The in-form England right-back and his teammates have endured losses to Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United, but are looking to bounce back to winning ways against Burnley at Turf Moor this afternoon.

After such a flying start many pundits are predicting that the Saints bubble has burst.

However, Clyne is adamant that the squad still have total faith in their ability.

He said: “The belief is still there.

“We are confident in the players we’ve got to go into games, dominate it and get the three points, and that’s what we’ve got to do against Burnley.

“It’s still high. We’re still looking good in the table and the performances have also been good, but we haven’t got the rub of the green and the luck we needed to get the three points.

“The performances have been going well but when you playing against good sides like Arsenal, Man City and Man United, when you give away silly mistakes you know you get punished and that’s what happens and we’ve got to learn from it.

“We have got to learn from it and move on to the next game.”

He added: “We are still lying fifth in the table and we would have taken that at the start of the season, so it’s good.

“If we go on a good run again like we did at the start of the season we could push for it again.

“We are still confident and we know with our ability if we play well we will get the results we are looking for.”

Saints are doing everything they can to prepare for Burnley and are not assuming it will be an easier day after playing three of the Premier League big guns.

“It’s going to be another tough task for us to go away to Burnley,” said Clyne. “It’s tough there and a hostile atmosphere.

“Burnley have been on a good run of form lately so we’ve got to be on top of our game to get a win.

“If we get the win against Burnley then we’ve got the momentum again and we can go into other games with more confidence.

“Everyone needs to stay fit because we’ve got a thin squad so hopefully everyone gets out of the game fit and with players back from injury we can go on a good run.”

One of the highlights of Saints’ start to this season has been the form of Clyne, and left back Ryan Bertrand, pictured below.

The pair combined, with the latter setting up a goal for the former, at Aston Villa and Clyne is now under pressure from Bertrand to do the same for him.

He joked: “He said ‘you’ve got to repay the favour to me’ so if I get forward next time I’ll try and do it for him.

“I just knew he was going to cut it back. We worked on it in training so it was good.

“We’ve been given the licence to get forward and that’s what we like to do – we like to get forward and help out and attack.

“Any opportunity we get to get forward we are going to take it.”

Clyne’s form for Saints has led to him winning his first two England caps and the 23-year-old is pleased with how things have been going for him.

“I feel good. I think I’ve been playing well and enjoying my football,” he reflected. “I’m getting forward and helping out with the attacking side of play, and getting goals as well which I’m happy with, as well as defending.”