Armstrong: It means everything

An edgy opening 45 minutes matched the sense of importance surrounding the fixture, with the second half becoming an end-to-end affair as both sides pressed for a winner.

In a sliding doors moment, Beto crashed an effort off the crossbar with the rebound immediately turned into a counter by the hosts, with substitute Yukinari Sugawara breaking down the right before teeing up Armstrong for his first league goal of the campaign.

“It means a lot,” Armstrong began. “I think you've seen the last few results haven't gone our way, but I feel like we’ve been playing well, as daft as that sounds. What a shift from the boys today - a bit of luck on our side as well. And yeah, what a three points.

“We all worked hard all week because we knew it was a big game, there’s no beating around the bush. They're a good side, and we knew it was going to be tough and they were going to make it hard for us, but the lads dug in and I thought the lads were excellent and it shows on the pitch when you win.

“I thought the lads at the back were excellent today. They beat up their strikers and got us going. The way they play out from the back is incredible and the gaffer's telling them to do that, the lads are all buying into it, and look, I know it's going to be tough in the Premier League, but if everyone gets behind us you can see what we can make it at St Mary’s and yeah, unreal.

"When you’re constantly attacking it gives the crowd a lift. That's what they want to see, attacking play. And yeah, I'm just over the moon to get that goal and get the three points."