Settled it RUSSELL’S RECORD BREAKERS
RUSSELL MARTIN admitted he felt sick at breakfast, but his appetite for taking Saints back to the Premier League looks huge.
The Southampton manager could hardly touch his vegan sausages, such was his anxiety over returning to his former club.
Goals from Che Adams, Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes soon settled Martin’s stomach, though, as did the new club record of 21 matches unbeaten and a surge to second place in the Championship.
“I felt sick this morning and couldn’t eat any breakfast,” said Martin, who left Swans in the summer.
“But it was really nice to come back and I enjoyed it more because of our performance and the fact we won.”
James Paterson pulled a goal back for Swansea to make it 2-1, before Downes scored against his old club and Paterson also rattled the post twice late on.
But the gulf between the teams in the first half was wider than the Bristol Channel as Saints whipped the ball about in a way that looked painfully familiar to Swans fans still sore over their former boss’s departure. Said Martin: “I’m immensely proud. The first half was one of the best performances I’ve ever been involved in as coach. It was incredible.
“They’ve written themselves in the history books – so let’s keep it going.”
Martin had overseen Saints’ 5-0 win over the Swans on Boxing Day, but the Welsh side had not lost in four matches since.
But Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Fraser tore the home side apart.
Swansea rallied in the second half but new coach Luke Williams – who used to be Martin’s assistant – said: “I am pleased we were able to show a better performance in the second half, but very disappointed with the first half.” SWANSEA: Rushworth 7; Darling 4, Wood 4, Humphreys 5; Ashby 5 (Bolasie (65) 6), Fulton 5 (Allen (75) 6), Grimes 6, Tymon 6; Cullen 6 (Patino (65) 6), Paterson 7; Lowe 6 (Yates (65) 6) SOUTHAMPTON: Bazunu 7: Walker-peters 7, Harwoodbellis 7 (Stephens (60) 6), Bednarek 7, Manning 7; Smallbone 7 (Charles (86) 5), Downes 8, S Armstrong 8 (Rothwell (76) 6); A Armstrong 7, Adams 7 (Mara (75) 6), Fraser 8 STAR MAN: Stuart Armstrong – Two assists, too sharp and too creative in possession for Swansea. REF: Oliver Langford 7