Russell Martin’s half-time hairdryer set up Southampton’s second-half surge to send them to a 3-0 FA Cup replay win over Watford and a fifth-round clash with Liverpool.

Saints were dismal in the first half before Sekou Mara bagged a brace of well-hit strikes and Che Adams secured a 24th game unbeaten for the Championship promotion hunters.

“I wasn’t happy with the first half and told the players that,” said Martin.

“It is the first time in some time I have done that. My throat was a little bit sore.

“The team is built on being really brave with the ball but really aggressive without and we lacked aggression.

“We were just a bit too nice, we’ve been horrible to play against for a while but we weren’t in the first half.

“At half-time it was about mentality and energy. Second half we were relentless and could have scored one or two more.”

Adams diverted a ball through to Mara and the Frenchman sent Daniel Bachmann the wrong way to finish at the near post and get Saints moving in the 52nd minute.

Six minutes later, Mara bagged his fifth goal of the season when he emphatically finished a counter-attack by thumping into the near post again, this time from outside the box.

Adams finally got the goal his persistence deserved when he calmly diverted Joe Rothwell’s sumptuous free-kick from the left flank past substitute Ben Hamer.

Saints could have made it a wider margin when Samuel Edozie and Sam Amo-Ameyaw struck the post.

The reward is a trip to Anfield, something to which Martin is looking forward.

“It will be exciting, it will be brilliant but we have five games before then,” he said.

“It is a great place to play football and to play against one of the best managers in the world in his last season there will be amazing.

“It holds a special place for me because I scored there on the day my son was born, probably the only point we ever took at Anfield in a fair few visits.”

Watford boss Valerien Ismael said: “It was disappointing, for sure.

“After the first half we were actually in the game. We knew coming here against a team with a lot of confidence and haven’t lost a game in a long time, we knew we had to be strong and solid.

“We grew up in the game and created some situations and told the guys we needed to step up and push for more.

“But in the second half after the first goal we mentally dropped quickly and had tiredness. We started to make mistakes and it became difficult for us to come back into the game.”

Sekou Mara’s first brace in English football fired Southampton to a 3-0 FA Cup replay victory over Watford and a fifth-round meeting with Liverpool.

Mara smashed two strikes into the near post to score his fourth and fifth goals of the season.

Che Adams added gloss to the victory to take Saints to a 24th game undefeated and set up potentially Jurgen Klopp’s last FA Cup tie before he leaves the Reds in the summer.

Both sides made seven changes a piece from their weekend exploits in the Championship and that showed in an opening 20 minutes devoid of quality.

Hornets defender Wesley Hoedt, against his former club, and winger Matheus Martins had off-target efforts at one end, and Saints teenager Tyler Dibling dragged wide at the other as the rain swirled around St Mary’s.

The deluged pitch meant Saints’ usually slick passing was impacted, although midfielder Flynn Downes forced a tricky moment for Daniel Bachmann after slipping in behind.

The game livened up when Southampton goalkeeper Joe Lumley was left rooted as Ismael Kone’s long-range drive deflected up and skidded onto the cross bar.

Lumley was equal to Kone a little later when the Ivorian midfielder diverted Martins’ cross towards goal.

And at the other end, Bachmann’s feet improbably denied Adams from five yards in the 28th minute before Mara fired an effort wide from a corner.

The hosts continued to dominate the ball without much cutting edge, although Joe Rothwell swung a shot wide and Bachmann smothered at Will Smallbone’s feet.

Adams and Mara switched positions in the second half and it proved the perfect alteration seven minutes after the restart.

Adams, now on the left, diverted the ball through to the central Mara and the Frenchman sent Bachmann the wrong way to finish into the near post.

Adams reverted to the middle after the goal and controlled over his shoulder and then volleyed over the bar as Saints pushed for a second.

And it came six minutes after the first as Mara emphatically finished a counter-attack by thumping into the near post again, this time from outside the box.

Bachmann walked straight off following the goal, having felt his head in the first half and pointed to his eye as he was replaced by Ben Hamer.

Samuel Edozie came off the bench and should have firmly put the game to bed when brilliantly threaded through by Rothwell but he stumbled and eventually scuffed a shot straight at Hamer.

Adams finally got the goal his persistence deserved when he calmly diverted Rothwell’s sumptuous free-kick from the left flank past Hamer.

Mara curled a late effort wide but could not add the match ball as a reward for his sparkling performance, while Edozie and Sam Amo-Ameyaw both struck the post.

Southampton forward Sekou Mara’s quickfire second-half double in the 3-0 FA Cup replay victory over Watford booked a fifth-round trip to Liverpool.

The Championship high-fliers extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 24 matches when Che Adams teed up the 21-year-old Frenchman in the 52nd minute.

Mara, who had been linked with Sheffield United in the January transfer window after making just one league start this season, doubled his tally six minutes later with his fifth goal in nine appearances, before Adams wrapped things up 14 minutes from time.

Coventry coasted to a home tie against non-league Maidstone after three goals inside nine second-half minutes dispatched Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday 4-1.

Kasey Palmer’s early opener for the hosts had been cancelled out by Bailey Cadamarteri’s 10th-minute equaliser but the game turned immediately after half-time as Callum O’Hare scored twice, with Haji Wright adding the fourth.

Southampton manager Russell Martin hailed his in-form side’s humility and hunger following their win at struggling Rotherham and urged them not to ease up during a “relentless month”.

First-half goals from Jan Bednarek and Adam Armstrong earned Saints a 2-0 victory at rock-bottom Rotherham to move up to second in the Championship standings.

The result at the AESSEAL New York Stadium also extended Southampton’s unbeaten run to 23 matches and Martin is looking for more of the same as they face six more games in a hectic February.

Martin said: “I really enjoyed the performance and the control we had.

“Their goalie made some really good saves and we should have scored a couple more goals. We limited them to very little.

“They really looked after each other. They fought so hard and ran so hard out of possession – especially from direct balls and long throws. It was really tough to play against.

“I am really proud of the players. It was a tough pitch compared to what the guys play on. The players said it was the toughest they have played on all season.

“We had a joke at breakfast about going 20-odd unbeaten and still being fourth. That’s the level of the competition, it’s outstanding and it’s great to be involved in. The lads are just head on and enjoying the opportunity.

“The players keep showing the humility and hunger. Hopefully we can keep enjoying this feeling for as long as possible. We will focus on ourselves and keep learning and growing as much as we can.

“It’s going to be a relentless month. We need to keep pushing the players.”

Centre-half Bednarek put Southampton in front with just four minutes on the clock when he reacted fastest to a ricochet in the box to head beyond Viktor Johansson.

Adam Armstrong netted the second in the 38th minute after Ryan Fraser had laid cleverly into his path for a simple finish.

The Millers then had Johansson to thank for keeping it to just two when he kept out Will Smallbone’s drive.

Southampton could afford to cruise through the second half but came close to adding a third when new lean signing David Brooks fired just off target.

Rotherham huffed and puffed after the break but could not get back into the game, with Gavin Bazunu denying them a late consolation when he kept out Ollie Rathbone’s volley.

Millers head coach Leam Richardson said: “Southampton were exactly what we expected. They’re a team full of quality and going very well. We knew the challenges we were going to face.

“The only disappointing thing is the way we started the game. Second half was more like us without creating massive chances.

“They could control the game a little bit more. It was a tough afternoon for the boys.”

Richardson knows he has to keep rallying his players after just one win going back to October.

He added: “We either feel sorry for ourselves and don’t do anything about it or we meet the challenges.

“We should never be OK with losing 2-0 to Southampton because we want a competitive environment.

“You either meet the challenge head on or you back off. I would rather go and be pro-active. If you’re going to lose, lose being the best version of yourself.

“The challenge was to go and win the second half and we possibly could have done.”

Southampton climbed into the top two in the Championship after continuing their impressive form by sweeping aside struggling Rotherham 2-0.

The high-flying Saints made it 23 games unbeaten with a dominant display at the AESSEAL New York Stadium where first-half goals from Jan Bednarek and Adam Armstrong did the damage.

Victory sees Southampton up to second behind Leicester while rock-bottom Rotherham are now a massive 12 points from safety at the foot of the table, and with just one win in 17 league games.

It took the visitors just four minutes to go in front with Bednarek reacting quickest in the box to head beyond Viktor Johansson.

Rotherham responded quite well to the early setback and carved out a decent opportunity when Peter Kioso crossed for Jordan Hugill to fire just over.

The visitors were just inches off doubling their advantage when Ryan Fraser took aim from 25 yards, only for his effort to cannon off the post.

Intricate play around the box then led to a great chance for Stuart Armstrong but he was denied by the sharpness of Johansson.

There was nothing the Sweden international goalkeeper could do about Southampton’s second goal though, which arrived in the 38th minute.

It came from a lightning move with Fraser putting through by a chipped ball from Taylor Harwood-Bellis. Fraser then had the awareness to cleverly backheel the ball to Adam Armstrong who tucked his shot into the bottom corner.

It was almost 3-0 moments later with Will Smallbone denied by a strong hand from Johansson.

Gavin Bazunu was called into action at the other end with Seb Revan unleashing an effort after showing skill down the left.

The hosts threatened again early in the second half as they sought a way back into the game, Sam Clucas trying another spectacular volley to match his goal of the month contender in January, but this time it drifted off target.

Adam Armstrong had a sniff of a chance when he was picked out by a clever ball from Smallbone but his heavy first touch allowed Johansson to deny him.

Rotherham were doing the bulk of the pushing in the second half with the visitors content to sit on their lead.

The Millers had a good chance to get one back but Kioso could not pick out substitute Sam Nombe, who had made a good run to the front post.

Southampton brought on January capture David Brooks in the 74th minute and he almost made an instant impact only to see his effort, after cutting in from the right flank, whistle over the bar.

Rotherham came close to an injury-time consolation as Ollie Rathbone caught a volley perfectly, but Bazunu was equal to it to ensure a clean sheet.

Juventus have signed Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy.

The 21-year-old Argentinian has scored four goals in 26 appearances for Saints this season, with Russell Martin’s side third in the Championship as they seek an immediate return to the Premier League.

Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox told the club website: “Allowing Charly to leave on loan was a decision that we have been deliberating on for some time.

“Considering the midfield options we have available to us right now, and Charly’s lack of game time, we wanted to allow him this chance to gain some valuable experience in one of the top leagues in Europe.

“Juventus are a huge club and we are convinced that this move will allow Charly the opportunity to flourish and then come back and be a success at Southampton.”

Massimiliano Allegri’s side sit second in Serie A, one point behind leaders Inter having played a game more.

Russell Martin hailed his players for keeping Southampton’s unbeaten run going via the late goal that secured a 1-1 FA Cup draw at Watford.

It had looked as though Matheus Martins’ early free-kick might turn out to be enough for the Hornets but substitute Stuart Armstrong’s leveller ensured there will be a replay at St Mary’s and extended Saints’ club-record run to 22 matches dating back to September.

The winners will travel to Liverpool in the last 16, with Jurgen Klopp’s side having beaten Norwich 5-2 at Anfield in another tie that was on the go when the fifth-round draw was made.

Manager Martin made nine changes to his usual league line-up but the second-half introduction of four experienced faces saw the tie saved.

He said of his players: “They have amazing mentality, they were relentless in the second half and the last half-hour in particular. They just won’t accept being beat, which is an amazing trait for any team to have and they deserved that.

“The goal was a rubbish one to concede, really poor. I said to the guys at half-time we just lacked a bit of aggression. There was a lot of disappointment because they wanted so badly to take their opportunity.

“We took that frustration into the second half and the guys who came on had a real impact in the game. We scored a little bit too late but we still kept trying to win it.

“It was a proper cup tie and the atmosphere was great. We had 4,000 fans on a Sunday afternoon in not the most glamorous of cup ties against a club in the same division that we have already played once this season.”

Martin felt the prospect of a trip to Anfield would be a big incentive for both sides to win the replay.

He said: “To play at Liverpool is a huge opportunity in Jurgen Klopp’s last season as manager. We have a number of players coming back from injury who will hopefully be ready for that game as well.”

Watford manager Valerien Ismael, who had made six changes, was disappointed his players could not hold out for the win.

But he argued holding Saints to successive 1-1 draws in the space of a few weeks – Watford scoring a late equaliser of their own on December 9 – was an achievement in itself.

“We needed a second goal – or to keep a clean sheet,” he said. “We were solid, disciplined and well-organised and over the the 90 minutes the mentality and the desire was there.

“The only thing I will say is we need to be more composed. We lost the ball too many times. If you want to become a top team you need to control the ball.

“At the end we put on players who are not fit at the moment and you could see the pace dropped but they need game time.

“We competed well against them, for the second time at home.

“We had quite a lot of chances, we were very dangerous but we ran out of energy to push and get the clean sheet to win the game.

“It showed we are able to compete with them. The second game will be interesting.”

Watford and Southampton face a replay for a place in the FA Cup fifth round following a 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road.

Saints substitute Stuart Armstrong struck late to force a replay after Matheus Martins’ early free-kick looked being just enough to take the Hornets through, with Liverpool awaiting in the next round.

Both sides made substantial changes to their most recent Championship starting line-ups – Watford swapped six, Southampton nine – and the visitors fell behind in the fifth minute.

Mason Holgate was booked for fouling Yaser Asprilla just outside the box on the left and Martins, the Brazilian winger, whipped the free-kick past a wall comprising of just one man and beyond goalkeeper Joe Lumley at his near post.

Carlos Alcarez forced Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann into his first save with a header soon after but Saints were back under pressure straight away.

Sekou Mara fouled Francisco Sierralta 25 yards in front of goal and this time it was ex-Saint Wesley Hoedt who took the free-kick, which the centre-back fired straight at Lumley.

Jayden Meghoma did well to stop Martins bursting through but Sierralta put a free header wide at the back post from the corner that followed.

Jamal Lewis was the next Hornet to test Lumley with a low drive from distance but the goalkeeper was fortunate when he rushed out of his box and was beaten to the ball by Vakoun Bayo only for the striker to fail to find a colleague in front of an untended goal.

Southampton rallied towards the end of the half, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis heading a decent chance over from a free-kick, but the half ended with Bayo firing wide at the other end following a defensive lapse.

The second period began with Alcarez sending a free-kick that resulted from a foul on Holgate over the bar. Holgate was soon required at the other end to stop Asprilla stealing in at the back post.

Mara fired a Saints reply at Bachmann before a Watford counter saw Martins’ effort deflected.

The visitors sent on four experienced campaigners just after the hour mark in Adam and Stuart Armstrong, Will Smallbone and Ryan Fraser.

Stuart Armstrong blasted an effort wide as Watford were forced to dig in for a while but Martins saw a 72nd-minute effort ping back off a post.

Saints pushed hard for a leveller, with Holgate forcing Bachmann into a flying save, but the Hornets goalkeeper was beaten with a minute remaining.

Bachmann batted out a drive from Mara but Stuart Armstrong seized on the rebound on the left of the box and foxed the Austrian with a curler inside the near post.

It was all Saints in added time, with Adam Armstrong seeing a shot deflected wide and Bachmann tipping a Harwood-Bellis header round a post.

Mauricio Pochettino endured a rocky start to life as Chelsea boss but has now guided the Blues to the Carabao Cup final as he looks to end his wait for a first trophy in English football.

The Argentinian has managed almost 400 games in England across spells with Southampton, Tottenham and now Chelsea but has yet to lift silverware in this country.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how Pochettino has fared in his quest for trophies.

Southampton

2013/14

Having taken over during the previous campaign with Saints already out of both domestic competitions, Pochettino’s early involvement in the League Cup and FA Cup was brought to a close by Sunderland. The Black Cats won 2-1 in a fourth-round League Cup tie at the Stadium of Light before claiming a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup fifth round.

Tottenham

2014/15

While a 2-1 fourth-round FA cup defeat at home to Leicester and a 3-1 aggregate loss to Fiorentina in the last 32 of the Europa League hardly set the pulses racing in Pochettino’s first season at Spurs, he did almost start life in north London with a trophy. Home wins over Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Newcastle took Tottenham into a League Cup semi-final against Sheffield United, with a 3-2 aggregate success setting up a Wembley final against Chelsea, who ran out 2-0 winners.

2015/16

Pochettino suffered from second-season syndrome in the cup competitions, losing 2-1 to neighbours Arsenal in the third round of the League Cup and slipping to a fifth-round exit in the FA Cup courtesy of a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace. Achieving European qualification in his first campaign at the helm also led to little as Spurs were thrashed 5-1 on aggregate by Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League last 16.

2016/17

A 2-1 loss to Liverpool in the fourth round of the League Cup was forgivable, but, having ensured a return to Champions League football, Pochettino’s Spurs were knocked out in the group stage and then slumped to a 3-2 aggregate loss to Gent in the Europa League last 32. There was some comfort from an FA Cup run that included wins over Aston Villa, Wycombe, Fulham and Millwall before Chelsea ran out 4-2 victors in a semi-final clash at Wembley.

2017/18

There was another fourth-round League Cup exit – this time in a 3-2 loss to West Ham – but this season saw Spurs top their Champions League group before agonisingly losing 4-3 on aggregate to Juventus in the last 16. There was more Wembley misery in the FA Cup as Spurs reached the semi-final for a second successive season, only to lose 2-1 to Manchester United, having taken the lead through Dele Alli.

2018/19

A forgettable FA Cup campaign ended with a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in round four, but even a penalty shootout loss to Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final was not the heartbreaking moment of Pochettino’s final full season in charge. Having secured memorable late wins over Manchester City and Ajax to reach the Champions League final, Spurs were second best as an early Mohamed Salah penalty and a Divock Origi goal saw Liverpool win 2-0 in Madrid.

Chelsea

2023/24

Having won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France at Paris St Germain, Pochettino returned to England when he was appointed Chelsea boss last summer. While results in the Premier League have been mixed, the 51-year-old saw his side beat AFC Wimbledon, Brighton, Blackburn and Newcastle in the Carabao Cup before recovering from a 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough in the semi-final first leg to thrash the Sky Bet Championship side 6-1 on Tuesday night and reach Wembley – where either Fulham or Liverpool await.

Russell Martin says Southampton’s new unbeaten club record will not carry as much importance if the Saints do not return to the Premier League.

Southampton broke a 103-year-old club record on Saturday by extending their unbeaten run to 21 games with a 3-1 victory at Martin’s old club Swansea.

Victory lifted the Saints into second place in the Sky Bet Championship, above Ipswich on goal difference.

“It is a nice moment,” Martin said after his side completed Southampton’s best unbeaten run in all competitions since joining the Football League in 1920, eclipsing the 20 games undefeated achieved the following year.

“I’m really grateful to the players for what they’ve done, the courage they’ve shown. I’m immensely proud.

“The way they did it in the first half, one of the best performances I’ve ever been involved in as coach.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work and they’ve really stepped up. They’ve written themselves in to the history books – and let’s keep it going.

“It will have more significance, importance and standing if we achieve what we want at the end of the season, otherwise it will be just something we’ve achieved together.”

First-half goals from Che Adams, Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes – his first for Saints coming on his 25th birthday and against his former club – put Southampton in control.

However, Saints had to withstand late home pressure as Swansea twice hit the post and Gavin Bazunu made a couple of useful saves.

“We didn’t mix the game up in the last 20 minutes and played with no real purpose,” said Martin.

“We were relentless in the first half and I was disappointed the way we conceded at the end of that half.

“It was handball and offside but we had one offside (goal), so it is what it is.

“It took us a little bit longer to get the wheels in motion. Those two clubs (Leicester and Ipswich) had the two best starts in Championship history, so the fact we are now there and in the fight, in the mix, and hunting them both down, is a real credit to the players.”

Martin was given a warm welcome by Swansea fans on his return to the club he managed for two years and left last June.

Relations between Martin and the Swansea hierarchy had soured after the club had a dismal January transfer window.

“I felt sick this morning and couldn’t eat any breakfast,” said Martin.

“But it was really nice to come back and I enjoyed it more because of our performance and the fact we won.

“Seeing all the backroom staff and lots of people who meant a lot to us – and who we have a lot of love and affection for – was special.”

For Swansea boss Luke Williams, it was a first defeat in charge following an FA Cup victory over Morecambe and a Championship draw at Birmingham.

Jamie Paterson made it 2-1 just before half-time with a close-range header, and Swansea finally shook off the shackles to set up a grandstand finish that almost brought surprise reward.

“First half we were too deep, far too deep,” said Williams, Martin’s former assistant at both MK Dons and Swansea.

“Southampton could push the ball around, take their time and wait for the space and they did that brilliantly.

“Second half, the difference is we play higher up the pitch and we were able to create chances.”

Former Notts County boss Williams was appointed after Martin’s successor Michael Duff lasted less than five months in the job.

He said: “If it was something that was a really quick fix, everyone would be doing it. it’s not going to be that easy.

“I need to try to get the message across to the players in a clinical way because we are not blessed with time at the moment.”

Southampton broke a 103-year-old club record by going 21 games unbeaten as Russell Martin celebrated his return to Swansea with a 3-1 success.

Che Adams, Will Smallbone and birthday boy Flynn Downes scored first-half goals as the Saints secured a Sky Bet Championship victory that should have been by a far greater margin.

Jamie Paterson gave Swansea brief hope in cutting the deficit to 2-1, but this was a sobering defeat for the hosts – their first in four games since losing at Southampton on Boxing Day.

Southampton have now eclipsed their best unbeaten run in all competitions since joining the Football League in 1920, the Saints going 20 games without defeat the following year.

A sixth win in seven league games moves Southampton into second place, above Ipswich on goal difference before they meet Championship leaders Leicester on Monday.

Martin was given a warm welcome by Swansea fans on his return to the club he managed for two years and left last June.

Luke Williams, who worked as Martin’s assistant at MK Dons and Swansea, was in charge in the home dugout for the first time in the league.

Williams had started his reign with an FA Cup victory over Morecambe and a Championship draw at Birmingham, but this was a far tougher proposition against visitors unbeaten since September 23.

Southampton thrashed Swansea 5-0 at St Mary’s and could have matched that total inside the opening half-hour.

Adams volleyed an inviting opportunity wide before Carl Rushworth pushed Stuart Armstrong’s sixth-minute shot into the Scotland striker’s path for his ninth goal of the season.

Rushworth was the busiest man in Swansea, with several stops including a fantastic double save to deny Ryan Fraser and Adam Armstrong.

Swansea’s defence was breached again after 20 minutes, although there was more than a hint of offside about it.

Stuart Armstrong seemed well beyond the last home defender, but he was allowed to continue and his cross was converted by Smallbone from inside the six-yard box.

Josh Tymon had Swansea’s first effort, looping over from 20 yards, but Rushworth kept them in the contest by kicking away Adam Armstrong’s angled attempt at a post.

Southampton’s share of possession was over 80 per cent at times, but Swansea scored out of nowhere four minutes before the break.

Harrison Ashby’s cross ended in a collision between Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and Jamal Lowe.

The Swansea striker had possibly been offside, but the ball ran kindly to Liam Cullen and his centre was nodded home by Paterson.

Southampton restored their two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time as former Swansea midfielder Downes fired home from 20 yards with the aid of a deflection.

Downes was celebrating his 25th birthday, but did not salute his first Saints goal out of respect for his former club.

The second period was a far quieter affair until Paterson struck the Saints woodwork twice in as many minutes.

Bazunu also thwarted substitute Yannick Bolasie from close range as Swansea finished strongly, but without success.

Sheffield United’s loan swoop for Mason Holgate has collapsed after Everton’s last-minute demand for a bigger fee.

The Toffees wanted the Blades to pay £250,000 after it was agreed the defender’s loan at Southampton would be cancelled and he would move to Bramall Lane, the PA news agency understands.

United had also agreed to cover a portion of the 27-year-old’s wages but fourth-bottom Everton wanted a late payment as the Blades are Premier League relegation rivals.

It saw the deal fall through – despite Holgate travelling to Yorkshire for a medical – and it remains to be seen if the move can be resurrected.

He remains at St Mary’s, although Southampton are open to cancelling his loan this month.

Holgate has only made six appearances for the Saints this season and has not featured in the Sky Bet Championship since October, with Russell Martin’s side on a record-equalling 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

Blades boss Chris Wilder revealed his frustrations at failing to make any further additions before they host West Ham on Sunday.

They have only signed Ben Brereton Diaz on loan from Villarreal in their battle against relegation, with the club bottom on just nine points.

Wilder says he would not have asked his board for reinforcements if he thought there was no chance of avoiding the drop.

“Hopefully a couple more before the window shuts will make us stronger,” Wilder said. “We will be in a better place when the window shuts.

“We are quite frustrated because we felt we could have got them in for the weekend, the deadline was 12pm today but we have worked very hard in identifying a couple of potential signings coming in before next week.

“I always knew it wasn’t going to be a huge window in terms of big numbers coming in. Two or three was the targeted number and I believe we will reach the targets.

“I wouldn’t have asked the club to make those decisions if I didn’t think there was any fight left in us.

“There is definitely a huge fight left in myself and I have seen that in the players. If I didn’t think that I would say to the board, ‘Keep your powder dry and we’ll plan for another season in a different division’.

“That might still happen but it won’t be through a lack of fight and commitment.”

Blades skipper Anel Ahmedhodzic has been linked with a move to Napoli, but Wilder says there has been no bid.

“I have spoken to Anel about it, he is a grounded individual and he loves playing for Sheffield United,” he said. “I don’t think speculation is a bad thing.

“You’d rather be talked about than not talked about. It is speculation, I have not been told from above that there is a potential deal in the offing, it is noise.”

Russell Martin has urged his Southampton players to “make history” after equalling their best English Football League unbeaten run by thrashing Sheffield Wednesday 4-0.

Adam Armstrong scored and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara to mark Saints’ 19th league game without defeat. They moved into the automatic places for the first time since the opening day of the season, ahead of Ipswich’s evening kick-off.

The unbeaten run is only bettered in the club’s history by a 24-match spell in 1896 and 1897.

Martin said: “We are on an unbeaten run where I’m immensely proud of the players. It is incredible what they have achieved and we have to keep it going as long as possible.

“We have never gone ‘we need to chase Leicester and Ipswich’. We are concentrating on ourselves and we’ll see where it takes us.

“It has never been a conscious focus for us but I want them to go and make some history next week.

“I want them to be remembered for that. I want them to do it and it has been an incredible achievement.

“I told them that the biggest incentive was finishing the game in second, for how long who knows. But it is a reward for the hard work they have put in and we are really in the race and the hunt now.

“For the players to put themselves in that position of 20 games unbeaten in all competitions is amazing.

“The way they have done it has shown they are growing. It has been a pleasure to watch but it is now our job to keep them hungry.

“If they do it then we will be in with a really good chance of achieving what we wanted to achieve.”

Adams opened the scoring after collecting an Armstrong cross before rounding a defender and lashing into the bottom corner.

Armstrong got his goal on the counter after Stuart Armstrong fed him before the former Blackburn man brilliantly provided for Fraser and Mara to make it nine straight home victories at St Mary’s.

Martin said of Armstrong: “If he carries on going I will be happy either way.

“He’s been so good and probably playing in a position he doesn’t really want to play. He wants to be the number nine in the team but he’s playing a role he is playing so well in.

“The goals and the assists are what strikers get judged on but there is so much more to it than that with Adam.”

Wednesday boss Danny Rohl was previously an assistant at Saints and is crossing his fingers for his former employers in their automatic promotion hunt.

Rohl said: “It is a big challenge at the top of the table but when you see what they are doing they are a good team.

“Because of my past I cross my fingers for Southampton but it won’t be easy. If they do a job like today then they’ll stand a good chance.”

He added: “That was hard. Southampton played well. It was a game we had to perform well and make no mistakes.

“Everyone was convinced we could have taken something. It is different to three months ago when we came to games and thought there wasn’t a chance. We had the confidence to try something.

“This team is a different league to us. For us it is about staying in the league and for them it is the Premier League.

“All in all it was a deserved victory for Southampton.”

Adam Armstrong produced an attacking masterclass as Southampton dispatched Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 to equal their longest English Football League unbeaten record.

Top scorer Armstrong scored one and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara as Saints leapt into the top two for the first time since the opening day and closed the gap to table-toppers Leicester to 10 points.

Saints are now unbeaten in 19 league games and 20 in all competitions, which is their best run since becoming a Football League club in 1920.

The club’s all-time record, the only better than the current run, of 24 in 1896 and 1897 came when they were known as Southampton St Mary’s and had yet to move to the Dell.

The hosts would enjoy the better of the first half but the first two minutes belonged to Wednesday.

First, Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu took a heavy touch and was mugged by Josh Windass, but the attacker could not squeeze in.

From the corner, Michael Ihiekwe headed wide – but the visitors would not have another first-half shot as Saints monopolised the possession.

Centre-back Ihiekwe had to think fast to run back onto his own goal line after Fraser had volleyed into the ground and over goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed a corner over but otherwise, it was a test in patience until Adams opened the scoring in the 35th minute.

Adams, who is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a Premier League move this month, latched onto an Armstrong cross via a Bambo Diaby error, beat a defender and lashed into the bottom corner.

It was the Scotland international’s eighth goal of the season, and Armstrong’s 10th assist.

Wednesday brought on Ashley Fletcher and Will Vaulks at the break and rallied when the former pinged a low effort towards the bottom corner, with Bazunu flinging himself to his right to save.

In the 63rd minute, Saints gave themselves daylight with a smart counter which saw Adams nick the ball off Diaby and slot through to Stuart Armstrong. He found Adam Armstrong in acres of space to notch for the 14th time this campaign.

Bazunu battered away a Windass free-kick before Di’Shon Bernard cleared Adam Armstrong’s attempt off the line as the game became open.

Fraser continued from the two goals he scored against Walsall in the FA Cup by adding a third in the 75th minute.

The Newcastle loanee steered in but Adam Armstrong’s burst, stepovers and vision to pick out Fraser across the box was the catalyst for the goal.

Armstrong was at it again with five minutes to go when he squared for substitute Mara to tap in to make it nine straight St Mary’s wins.

Manager Russell Martin admitted Ryan Fraser has done everything possible to start for Southampton after his sensational performance in the 4-0 FA Cup home win over Walsall.

Fraser scored twice and set up another as Saints strolled into the fourth round and moved to a 19th game unbeaten in all competitions.

The Scotland international has been forced to wait for his chances after arriving on loan from Newcastle but with injuries to Kamaldeen Sulemana and Samuel Edozie, he got Martin’s attention at the right time.

Martin said: “He was really good, really brilliant. He has such an amazing attitude and is a good example for the young boys.

“He’s been great coming off the bench recently, now Sam Edozie’s got an injury so Ryan has put himself in the frame to play from the start.

“As long as he brings what he does all the time then he will be a big player of us.

“He maybe hasn’t started as many games as people may have thought or what he’d like but he’s been a huge player for us.

“He’s been frustrated but in the right way. We wouldn’t have signed him if he was a bad character. He is the Ryan I remember playing with.

“He’s a good guy who smiles a lot and knows everything about football, watches every game possible and is in such great shape.

“We had a chat and he understood his role, especially as the other guys have been brilliant. He said he’d do everything he could whilst in that role.

“Of course he wants to start games but now he’s accepted it and has shown what he can do when he’s come off the bench. Days like today will definitely help him.”

Fraser opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he cottoned onto Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ ball over the top.

Championship promotion hunters Saints had to wait until the second half to run riot as Fraser teed up Sekou Mara to swivel and finish.

Fraser then added his second with a sublime finish into the bottom corner before Che Adams showed his strength and finishing abilities to help Saints score four at home for the third time in their last four matches.

The Saddlers had three good chances of their own, with Tom Knowles twice going close and Isaac Hutchinson also forcing a save out of Joe Lumley.

Boss Mat Sadler said: “We were certainly in the game in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

“They are a fantastic team and I’m glad we don’t have to play them every week. We’ve seen Championship sides blown away by them so we were fully aware of the task at hand.

“I wanted my team to give a good account of themselves and they did. I wouldn’t have fancied a replay, though.

“We grew into the game and it was fantastic to see but we didn’t score when we needed to score.

“We had three really good chances and unfortunately we didn’t take any of those.

“We are such a united football club at the moment and that will be hugely powerful going into the next part of the season.

“We wanted to upset it and ideally we didn’t want to go behind so early in the game but the reaction to that was great.”