Claude Puel declared himself satisfied with Ralph Krueger’s assertion that the manager’s position would be reviewed at the end of the season, describing it as “normal.”

There is a growing sense that Puel will be axed after just one season in charge at St Mary’s, and Saints chairman Krueger refused the opportunity to say his manager would be in charge next year.

Instead, he said he would leave the football matters to Les Reed, and Puel’s position, along with all other on the pitch factors, would be reviewed come the end of the campaign.

Puel took it in his stride and reacted: “He (Krueger) says just we make a review about the season and I think it is the same with all trainers.

“Any teams have a debrief at the end of the season and this is normal but the end of the season is after the last game and the last game is very important.

“For the moment it is important to keep the good focus about the pitch and we have the possibility to finish up the table and this is most important.

“Afterwards we have time to discuss different things like any team.”

Saints round off their season at home to Stoke on Sunday and are favourites to finish eighth following a goalless draw against United at St Mary’s last night.

It was a case of the same old story as Saints created chances and failed to take them.

“We want to play, we try to play but without success today,” reflected Puel.

“It was difficult first half I think this game without good intensity and I don’t know if the penalty gives a bad feeling for the players but it was not enough.

“It was interesting to see all the team come back in the second half with good intensity, rhythm and quality.

“We had situations and opportunities to score and at the end it is a shame with this result.

“Two or three times from a counter attack we can concede a goal but it was important to have this good answer in the second half with many possibilities and 15 shots in the game and we can shoot more with good situations and possibilities and with shots on target it is interesting.

“We face a goalkeeper who made fantastic saves also and sometimes I thought the ball is going in and this was difficult.

“Of course we wanted to win this game and we try with the intention to win this game but one point and also prepare the last game with good possibilities and intensity and good focus about this last game.

“It will be important to recover after this game because we play every three days and it will be difficult to prepare this game but the last game at home in front of our home fans I hope a good reward for the players.”