Saints progress to semis but league must be priority

Mark Hughes believes he has seen important traits in Southampton to take with them into a Premier League relegation battle after his new side defeated Wigan 2-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

After the League One side dominated the first half, Saints stepped up their level after the break and scored through Pierre-emile Hojbjerg and Cedric Soares, while Manolo Gabbiadini also had a penalty brilliantly saved by Christian Walton.

Before Hughes can think about Wembley, he must try to turn around Southampton’s form in the league, where they have won just once in the last 17 games and sit two points from safety.

The former Stoke boss said: “This was an important fixture. Clearly our Premier League status is a huge concern to us and we want to retain that and that is a big part of the remit I have.

“Today was a game we could take the maximum we needed in terms of positivity and we’ve been able to do that.

0 Cedric Soares: Sealed win.

“In the short time I’ve been with them I have seen good quality, good application and a group of players who have maybe been a little bit hurt by criticism. I think today maybe you saw steps to address that criticism.”

Wigan had claimed three successive Premier League scalps in reaching their third FA Cup quarter-final in six seasons, including Manchester City in the last round and looked more than capable of causing another upset but it was not to be.

Manager Paul Cook said: “It is a difficult one when the prize is so great for a club like ours. I felt we had played that well in the first half and hadn’t got enough out of the game. Secondhalfithought was quite scrappy, although Southampton certainly grew into the game. Did they deserve the victory? I think it was a little bit harsh on us but we wish Southampton well in the semi-finals.”