Martin hails "brilliant example" Armstrong
Russell Martin praised the contribution of Adam Armstrong, on and off the pitch, after Southampton’s Wembley hero struck another critical goal, this time to secure the club’s first Premier League victory of the season.
Armstrong, who captained the side in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Stoke in which he scored his first goal of the campaign, was recalled to the league line-up for the first time since August for the visit of Everton to St Mary’s on Saturday.
Saints’ No 9 repaid his manager’s faith with the match-winning moment five minutes from time, calmly converting Yukinari Sugawara’s low cross to spark jubilant scenes.
“I think I knew after Man City [last weekend] that he needed to come back in the team,” Martin said of Armstrong. “It was always going to be a controversial decision, taking Tyler [Dibling] out of the team, because of how good he’s been and how well he’s played.
“I felt against a team like Everton Arma was going to be important, so we wanted to get him minutes against Stoke, and it’s been so hard to leave him out of the team after what he did for us last year.
“He started in a different position at the start of the season and then came out of the team, and Tyler’s really kicked on and done brilliantly.
“It’s not been easy for Arma, but the way he’s dealt with it has been amazing, and he’s so important for us on and off the pitch. I love him to death, and having him out of the team is not easy, honestly.
“For him to come back in and do what he’s done, I’m really grateful for him – he’s an immense player and person. I hope it’s the start of really good things for him in the Premier League.
“Tyler came on and had a great impact off the bench, same as Yuki [Sugawara], so we have a squad that is really competing and fighting for each other. We are going to need everyone.”
On the goal itself, Martin referenced the movement of Cameron Archer in dragging Everton’s defenders towards goal, freeing up space around the penalty spot for Armstrong, who got himself into the goalscoring position from a wide starting point – something his manager wants to see more from Saints’ talented teenage wingers.
“He’s a brilliant example to Tyler, who needs to improve that side of his game, and Sam Amo [-Ameyaw] the same, about wanting to score easy goals and not having to do loads to score,” Martin added.
“But I have to say Cam Archer’s run – if he doesn’t run to goal like that, which we’ve been on at Cam since he’s been here to just keep running to goal and it’ll pay dividends for him to score, or Adam Armstrong.
“I thought Cam was outstanding today. He’s a really good player anyway, but he’s massive for us at the moment. He ran selflessly, Yuki came off the bench and had a brilliant contribution, and then Arma scores.”
