Ralph Hasenhuttl said Saints produced a perfect defensive game to bag a valuable point at Chelsea.

Saints were committed and well organised for the trip to Stamford Bridge and contained their top four opponents for virtually the entire match.

The draw couldn’t keep Saints from slipping into the bottom three but was still a morale boosting result and performance.

“It was a good mixture between pressing a little bit higher sometimes to surprise them with earlier pressing and sometimes a little bit deep. I think the mixture was a good one,” reflected Hasenhuttl.

“Though you need sometimes a good goalkeeper or a little bit of luck there is too much quality on Chelsea’s side.

“You need a perfect game against the ball and we did one today.”

He added: “It was mainly against the ball a fantastic performance from my team and that only could happen because we changed eight players. For sure for three times in a week we can’t do this job so it was important we changed six players against Man City and changed them back.

“If we didn’t we couldn’t defend like we did.”

Hasenhuttl admitted in the build-up to the game that Saints would need a bit of luck.

They may have got a couple of moments too as Alvaro Morata’s goal was ruled out for a debatable offside call while referee Jon Moss waved away a strong Chelsea penalty appeal late on.

“I think we had on Sunday against Man City a situation that was more a penalty for us than the situation I saw today when we didn’t get one when I think it was nothing,” said Hasenhuttl.

“For sure a referee that didn’t give this penalty but for me it wasn’t one.”

Hasenhuttl was also asked about the transfer window for the first time since it opened and replied: “I have now a very good view on our players what I can expect from them and what I don’t see.

“I saw a few problems we have and therefore we need to get new players in, that’s for sure.”