Southampton forward Rickie Lambert has admitted that Jay Rodriguez looks a different player to the one that arrived at the club during the summer.

Rodriguez struggled to make an impact at the St Mary's Stadium after signing from Burnley, but after the 23-year-old scored in his last three matches, Lambert believes that it is only a matter of time before his teammate earns international recognition.

The 31-year-old told reporters: "I think it is only a matter of time before Jay does get a chance with England if he carries on like this.

"Everyone has seen what a good player he is. It makes my job so much easier when playing alongside him."

"He is like a player reborn. At the start of the season he wasn't as confident as he hoped he would be - but slowly and surely the confidence has come back."

The strike duo are expected to feature in Southampton's starting lineup for their match with West Ham United on Saturday.