Ronald Koeman has urged his side not to leave European qualification to chance.

Saints face a huge match in the battle for the Europa League tomorrow as they host Tottenham at St Mary’s.

If Arsenal win the FA Cup then seventh will be good enough to qualify for Europe, with Liverpool, Tottenham and Saints looking nailed on to battle it out for fifth, sixth and seventh.

However, finishing seventh would mean a nervy wait for a week after the season ends for the FA Cup final and, if Aston Villa caused a shock and defeated the Gunners, the side that finished in that spot would miss out.

It’s not something Koeman wants to have to deal with.

“That’s true, that’s true,” he said. “We can’t wait until the 30th of May because that is when they play the final.

“Okay, the best is to be sure about Europa League football and that makes the fifth and the sixth place in the table.

“That has to be the focus, not the seventh place.”

There has been a lot of talk about the return to St Mary’s of former boss Mauricio Pochettino this weekend but Koeman doesn’t believe it has become a distraction.

“No, I don’t think so, because it’s an important one,” he reckoned. “We fight for a good position on the table to reach European football and that’s the focus, and everybody knows that Pochettino was the coach last season and that he’s coming back to St Mary’s and that the fans, ok, how the reception will be we will see that, but our focus has to be to win the game and I’m sure that the players have the same feeling.”

Koeman admitted that there is not a huge difference between Pochettino’s Tottenham and Saints sides and his in terms of styles, even though personnel and methods have altered.

Daily Echo: Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino: Heading back to St Mary's

He reflected: “They had a great season last year and every manager is different.

“We are not very different about the way how Tottenham play, the way how Southampton play. It’s a little bit the same with a lot of freedom for the wing players out of a good organisation.

“Maybe thinking about the sessions he is a little bit more in physical training than I do and that’s maybe a little bit the difference between him and I but most of the things in football I think is not so different and nothing else.

“I can’t give more opinions about him because I know him but I don’t know him as a coach.”

Saints fans are likely to give Pochettino a hostile reception at the weekend but Koeman has called on them to focus on backing his side.

“If the fans are supporting the home team that’s the best what we need and what the manager needs and what the players need,” he said.

“It has to be respectful but that’s all about the fans and I can’t change that.

“That’s the feeling, the message of the fans, and you have to respect that.”