Rickie Lambert admitted that Saints could have no complaints about the scoreline after slumping to a 6-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Nigel Adkins ’ men were steamrollered at the Emirates Stadium by a scintillating Gunners display, as the hosts raced into a 4-0 first-half lead, before adding another two late on to pad out the victory.

Lambert insisted there could be no complaints about the lopsided nature of the defeat, and conceded that some of Arsenal’s players had simply proved too good for Saints.

“I think they thoroughly deserved their victory, the margin as well,” he said. “We were unlucky with some goals, but they could have scored more as well. I think it was about right.

“We will have to look at it, but credit to Arsenal – I thought they were excellent. They had a couple of players we couldn’t handle.

“They scored early and got better and better.”