Southampton boss Russell Martin gives a candid answer to Leeds United’s final play-off question

Southampton boss Russell Martin expects there to be plenty of nerves next week in the build-up to the Championship play-off final against Leeds United. Saints will head to Wembley on May 26 in good spirits after an impressive 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Will Smallbone and Adam Armstrong (2) scored the goals in a classy second-half display to put Southampton within 90 minutes of a Premier League return. Martin, whose side beat United twice in the regular season, said: “I think it’s going to be a really top game of football. It will be one to look forward to and also feel a lot of butterflies and nerves throughout the week. We have to achieve that with the players and the staff.

“They deserve this opportunity because of how brave they were, how much belief and understanding they now have and what they’re doing, how much they stuck with it even when it was a little bit bumpy at times.

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“I said from day one it wasn’t going to be easy to change a style of play and a culture and a club that had a tough, tough year the year before.

“They deserved the opportunity, they earned it. They’ve earned every bit of it and now they have to make the most of it. Tonight was a beautiful moment for us.

“We’ve had so many here this season. The fans have been incredible, but we’ve got a chance to have a better time next week. So we’ve got to make sure that’s the case.”

Martin praised the St Mary’s crowd for producing “the best atmosphere” to inspire his team. “They were great, they really played their part tonight, so I’m really grateful to the supporters for that,” he said.

“Honestly, it was incredible. Lots of emotional people on the bus seeing this on the road really set the tone.

“It got the team talking really easily. So yeah, a really good night. I’m proud of the players. They showed a lot of courage to play football the way we played.

“They were, frankly, brilliant and beautiful at times against such good opposition. In the second half, I think we got better as the game went on.

“I think we deserve to win tonight on that performance. Now the challenge is to do it again on the biggest stage and bring that grit and aggression and be themselves – the team we want to be.”