JAMES Ward-Prowse outlined his goal target at Saints this season, with the race for the golden boot at St Mary’s hotting up.

Danny Ings currently heads the list with 11 goals in all competitions, with Ward-Prowse hot on his heels with nine strikes across the campaign.

But the England midfielder, who fired home a penalty in a 1-1 draw at Leicester last time out, insisted he had his sights set on double figures for the season.

He told the Daily Echo: “I think to reach double figures is the goal.

“Probably as a midfielder, if you can get 10 goals a season, that’s pretty good.

“I want to be improving year on year and that’s a good first step to doing that.”

Asked whether he had spoken to striker Ings about the race for the club’s top scorer accolade, the Saints captain replied: “We’ve spoken about it before when he was out for a period last season and I was catching up with him and I think that was kind of added motivation to leave me behind and go and score another 10!”

Ward-Prowse is expected to feature when Saints travel to Liverpool tomorrow (8.15pm), while Ings is ruled out with a hamstring problem.