JORDY Clasie admits that he does not yet feel like a fully established Premier League player despite producing his most accomplished performances for Saints in recent weeks.

The Netherlands international has recognised his improvement, but is open and honest about the fact that there is work to be done, especially in front of goal.

After 38 club appearances, Clasie netted his first ever Saints goal in the 2-0 EFL Cup quarter-final triumph at Arsenal recently, before a gritty and determined display in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Sunday.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who signed for £8m from Feyenoord in July 2015, has struggled for consistency since he arrived at St Mary's, with the burden of being Morgan Schneiderlin's direct replacement always weighing heavy.

But he is now starting to show his quality and, despite never being considered a goalscoring midfielder, has gone about making adjustments to his game under Claude Puel's instruction to be more attacking.

The goal at the Gunners was just his 11th in 210 career club appearances.

Whereas the Dutchman was deployed as a deep-lying midfielder during Ronald Koeman's reign at St Mary's, he has been pushed further forward under Puel and is now targetting "five or six goals".

"I think not yet," he said when asked whether he felt established in the Premier League. "I am not playing every game and that’s what I want.

"I know there’s a lot of competition here and that’s normal that you’re sometimes on the bench.

"I try to be there and comeback stronger even if I’m not playing or when I’m rested. I try to be stronger in the gym and try to do my best.

"If you want to be a player from the Premier League you have to play more games, but I know and accept it’s the coaches decision."

Saints are among the lowest scorers in the top-flight, having netted a paltry 14 league goals.

Puel is adamant that the shortage of end product in front of goal does not solely rest on the shoulders of the strikers, with the midfield and defence asked to chip in with goals.

Now, more than ever, with top-scorer Charlie Austin out injured for up to four months, Clasie knows that he needs to "stand up" and take responsibility along with his fellow midfielders.

He said: "I need to get more goals. I’m a midfield player but if you score one or two goals a season it’s not enough, so you have to score a minimum of five or six goals a season.

"That’s what I try to do to put more effort to get goals and to put more energy to try and score."

Slight alterations have been made to his game, with more emphasis on getting forward.

"Maybe a little bit, but it’s good for myself," he said when asked if he'd changed his game. "Hopefully I’m getting fitter this season than ever.

"My most important thing is to keep the ball in possession and to get to my attackers and work.

"It’s important for me and the team that some other players can be scoring the goals as well. That’s what I try to do.

"You see yesterday [against Middlesbrough], two or three times minimum a game [I'm trying to get in a scoring position]."