Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana has insisted that the off-field problems at the club have not affected the squad.

The Saints have suffered a week of turmoil, with executive chairman Nicola Cortese leaving the club and owner Katharina Liebherr taking over the day-to-day duties at St Mary's, which has put Mauricio Pochettino's future in doubt.

"It hasn't been a tough week but things have happened that people might have thought would have taken our eye off the ball," the 25-year-old told reporters.

"We are the same team that's been together and we have the same manager, so we have got to fight for each other and for him, which is what we have been doing all season and the season before. Nothing has really changed.

"We proved to people that we haven't been affected and our minds are still as fresh as they ever have been, and I think that showed."

Southampton sit in ninth place in the Premier League table.