BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl described as “fantastic” Nathan Tella’s performance against Spurs and added: “This is, for me, the most positive part of this game.”

The impressive forward played 84 minutes of the St Mary’s side’s 2-1 defeat in north London before being replaced by Nathan Redmond.

It was the former Arsenal youngster’s fourth league start in 13 top-flight appearances this campaign.

Hasenhuttl said: “Nathan Tella was fantastic for me – as long as he had the power to do it – a fantastic game from this young lad.

“I think he was sprinting more than any other player on this pitch.

“This is, for me, the most positive part of this game.”

Saints had led through Danny Ings’s 30th-minute header before fading in the second half and succumbing to a 2-1 reverse.

Asked about his side’s drop in performance during the second period, the manager added: “The opponent risks a little bit more – they have quality and maybe it’s also not so surprising and then they are better in the game.

“Then we are not able to come out of this pressure because not everybody wants to play football, not everybody wants to have the ball, not everybody is then on the same level as he has been in the first half.

“Sure, it’s intense the way we played in the first half and it’s normal that you’re then not again sprinting.”

Saints host Leicester City in their next encounter on Friday, April 30.