Former EFL star Adrian Clarke has insisted that it is a good thing that Russell Martin did not try to defend his Southampton players following their 5-0 defeat at Leicester City, as he thinks Erik ten Hag would have done.

 

Saints were hammered at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night and it ended their hopes of getting automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.

 

Martin criticised the players for not showing character and heart after Leicester scored their second goal after the break and the boss was not happy with the way team his reacted.

 

 

Clarke feels the Saints boss is trying to get a reaction from his players and admitted that he could not defend his team following a 5-0 hammering,

 

The former EFL star indicated that it is something Ten Hag would have done following a poor performance by his Manchester United team.

 

 

Clarke said on the What The EFL Podcast: “It’s definitely him trying to get a reaction.

 

“You have got to be honest; if you have taken a 5-0 pasting against one of your promotion rivals, you can’t stand there and defend it.

 

 

“Unless you are Erik ten Hag or someone like that.”

 

Ten Hag is under the scanner at Manchester United and has been ordered to change his style from now until the end of the season to prove himself to the new management