Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has insisted that he is 'wanted' by the club's chairman Nicola Cortese, despite recent pressure over his job.

The the 47-year-old future at St Mary's has come under question in recent weeks due to the Saints' position at the bottom of the Premier League table.

While reports had claimed that Adkins was safe from a dismissal for the time being, it had also been suggested that the Liverpool-born coach had been given a certain number of games in which to turn the club's fortunes around.

"I'm not on a match-by-match basis, the chairman wants me to be Southampton manager," Adkins told BBC South Sport. "The relationship between me and the chairman is very good, and that is the most important relationship at any football club.

"There is always going to be pressure, every team wants to be successful, it was always going to be the case. I am ready for it, I am loving it."

Adkins joined the former Championship club in 2010 following a four-year stint at Scunthorpe United.