Leeds United promotion rival questions squad commitment during Championship run-in after major automatics blow

Martin has chosen not to overtly criticise his players, instead critiquing his own motivational abilities when suggesting Southampton's players have not ran enough in recent fixtures.

The Saints are winless in their last three, drawing with Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers either side of a stoppage time defeat by Ipswich Town, which has left the south coast club trailing third place Leeds United by 11 points and a dozen from the automatic promotion places.

Southampton's hopes of returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking now appear consigned to the Championship play-offs, although Martin's side do have two games in hand on Leeds and Ipswich above them. It would require a significant collapse by either team, or league leaders Leicester City, to see the Saints return to the automatic promotion picture, however.

"At the minute, we don't run enough," Martin told reporters on Monday morning. "It's not tiredness, and it's my fault if I don't convince them enough. We need to run more.

"How we took one point from Boro and Ipswich is beyond me, so there's not a huge problem. But we aren't all in enough."

Whether Martin's comments are a psychological ploy to glean more from his squad ahead of their last seven games, which culminates in a final day visit to Elland Road, is impossible to discern. Nevertheless, it is an interesting time to question his own squad's application given they are not yet mathematically reliant on the play-offs for promotion. That said, Martin considers that particular route Southampton's best bet of going up.

"We're not quite in that flow at the moment so every change you make is really looked at. We have to look beyond that. Our job is to now go into the play-offs with as much momentum as possible. People will get opportunities but you have to earn it.

"In the next few weeks, there will be some tweaks and changes but it's all about finding a team that can win in the big moment and get us back to the Premier League."