Toby Alderweireld felt that Saints should have got at least a point at Sunderland – but admitted they cost themselves the game at the start of the second half.

Ronald Koeman’s side slipped to a 2-1 defeat against the relegation battlers, after Jordi Gomez converted two penalties – one either side of Sadio Mane equalising.

Saints had to play most of the second half with ten men, after James Ward-Prowse was dismissed for a 53rd-minute foul on Jermain Defoe that resulted in the second spot kick.

“I think we deserved more from this,” Alderweireld said in an interview on the club’s website.

“Especially when you play 25-30 minutes with ten men because I think then we played our best football and deserved at least a point.

“We were very happy with the 1-1 but then we made too many mistakes and didn’t get in our game. We had to punish them and we didn’t do it.”

Alderweireld insisted Saints were unfortunate to have gone 1-0 down, claiming referee Mike Jones was wrong to award a penalty for Jose Fonte’s challenge on Danny Graham, while he also had doubts about the second one.

“The ball was not too high and he (Graham) wanted to go with his head and Jose tried to play the ball, so for me it was not a penalty,” he said.

“The second I didn’t know as it was difficult to see from behind, but I’d have to see the images again because I think it was harsh on us.”

After surviving an at-times-tricky first half to go in level at 1-1, the Belgium international, who started in defensive midfield at the Stadium of Light, admitted the team’s display in the opening stages of the second half proved to be their downfall.

“I have to agree and say that we weren’t good in those first ten minutes and that’s where we lost the game I think,” he said.

“Like I said before, a lot of ball possession that went wrong and then with the red card at 2-1 we knew it was then going to be very difficult from there.”

Saints did apply some pressure in the latter stages of the match, with Alderweireld’s thunderous strike deep into added time drawing a stunning save from Costel Pantilimon, but it was not enough.

“We tried as much as we can to achieve something and get the second goal, then in the last minute the goalkeeper made a fantastic save I think unfortunately, from my shot.

“We did everything and even with ten men we had more ball possession and everything so I think we deserved more from the game.”