Claude Puel insisted he didn’t fear the criticism that would come his way if his shock team selection had backfired at Middlesbrough.

The Saints boss made seven changes for the trip to the Riverside Stadium, handing first starts to Martin Caceres and Jeremy Pied, and recalling others who have recently been on the fringes such as Jay Rodriguez, Shane Long and Jordy Clasie.

Had Saints lost the game then Puel would no doubt have been heavily criticised, but he was adamant that he had to do what he thought was correct and be strong enough to withstand the flack if it went wrong.

“I think it’s important always, in all situations, to keep the way. And the way for me was this,” insisted Puel.

“We wanted to have opportunities to win the three last games and we need change because we finished the last game with big tiredness and it was difficult and perhaps we would have lost today (if we kept the same team).

“After Manchester United and Stoke it would be the same because the same players cannot play with all this reason.

“When we played against Arsenal it was a strong game, against Liverpool it was fantastic work and all the players run a lot so they need to recover.

“With the schedule we play every three days until the end of the season and it is very difficult.

“I know people don’t know the possibility to make all these changes but the work in the first half of the season was all this because with all the many games we have in different competitions we made rotation with results and we continued with this work.

“It was important for the players to show their quality and their professional attitude.”