RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted “I’m not surprised they (supporters) are angry” after their 6-0 defeat to Chelsea last week, but insisted “we still have a lot to play for” in the final seven games.

Saints have had a hammer blow to their hopes of landing a top-half Premier League finish for a first time under the Austrian’s tenure, going five matches in succession without a win.

Only picking up one point, with a 1-1 draw at Leeds United, in that time, it is fortunate that Hasenhuttl’s side are still within one point of the top 10 and could achieve their targets.

Crystal Palace, Brighton, Aston Villa and Brentford are all within one or on level points of the St Mary’s side, and Saints will face all of them but Villa in the run-in.

Hasenhuttl and his charges were booed at half-time of the eventual 6-0 defeat to Chelsea last weekend, while supporters have vented their frustrations in the week since.

“I am not surprised that they are angry about us,” he insisted. “When we are at half-time 4-0 down, what do you expect? I think it was a not good enough performance so it is understandable I think.

“You see how tough it is in the Premier League, it is not about home or away, we have shown perfect performances away – very good ones with points. In general, we still concede too many goals.

“This is what we have to stop because it is not always possible to score two or more goals to win a game. In general this is something that we have to quickly change.”

After consecutive clean sheets versus Norwich and Everton in February, Saints have gone on to concede 15 goals in the five Premier League matches that have followed.

It takes their total goals conceded to 52 – a record that only four teams in the division have exceeded, including bottom teams Watford (60) and Norwich (63), Leeds (68) and Newcastle (54).

However, Hasenhuttl reassured fans, adding: “We have still a lot to play for, we have our target – a top 10 finish.

“It would be the first time in five or six years that we are in this level and we have a chance this season, definitely.

“It is a big goal for us and we need to win from these seven games three or four otherwise there is no chance of doing this.”