Tonda Eckert insists his Southampton team are not going to change after going into the Championship play-off places for the first time since the opening weekend with a 1-0 victory over Norwich.
Finn Azaz’s 10th goal of the season was enough to beat their play-off rivals and leap-frog Wrexham into the top six.
“That was a tough one,” admitted Eckert, whose side are unbeaten in their last 13 matches. “There is a reason why they have won 10 of the last 13 games.
“It is nice. It is always nice to take step after step but you have to play until the end.
“There is still a lot of games coming up, things can go so fast in either direction. We have done well to keep our head down and maintain a level of humility.
“It is very important not to look too far ahead. We have done well not to get carried away with the negatives or positives. That isn’t going to change.”
Azaz might have got the important goal – after capitalising on a quick throw to lash into the roof of the net – but Saints had goalkeeper Daniel Peretz to thank for holding onto their lead.
The Israeli’s fourth clean sheet in the last five home matches came with a season-high seven saves – including a fantastic double save and a last-gasp stop.
Eckert said of his on-loan Bayern Munich hero: “He’s only getting better and better. It is not easy when you are a goalkeeper and don’t play for a long time.
“He’s found his rhythm, and just like it was against Coventry at the weekend, it was a top performance.”
Norwich still dreamt of the play-off places after 10 wins in their last 13 league games, but they now sit nine points behind Saints.
Boss Philippe Clement said about their promotion hopes: “I am not a dreamer, that is for the fans. I made that mistake in the first 15 years of my career.
“It is of no use to look at the rankings. We have no control of what other teams will do. It is about our performances and then we will see where we are in the last two or three games.
“It is already amazing that so many people talk to me about play-offs when in November the club had nine points.”
He added about his side’s dominant second-half performance: “Everyone could see we deserved more from this game.
“It is football that you lose this type of games and there is a reason their goalkeeper is the man of the match.
“I am more proud of the team than gutted about the loss. It didn’t happen much that I have told the team I am proud of them.”
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