Southampton manager Nigel Adkins as praised the club's supporters following the Saints' 4-1 home victory over Aston Villa.

Adkins insisted that his players were deserving of the scoreline and hailed the sense of "togetherness" at St Mary's this afternoon.

"The Premier League is a massive challenge for everybody and today was a deserved three points," he said.

"I thought we were in the ascendancy in the first half and we changed it around in the second half and the players did well, creating chances and we scored four goals.

"We want to pass the football, and I think the supporters understand that as well, and there was a massive togetherness in the stadium today."

Goals from Nathaniel Clyne and Jason Puncheon and a Rickie Lambert double gave the Saints their first three points of the season, with Darren Bent finding the net for Villa.