Sellés on dramatic final day draw
Rubén Sellés reflected on an “emotional day” for the club as Southampton concluded their season with a thrilling 4-4 draw against Liverpool at St Mary’s Stadium.
The visitors raced into a two-goal lead courtesy of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino before goals from James Ward-Prowse and Kamaldeen Sulemana levelled the scores at half-time.
Sulemana added a third shortly after the restart as Adam Armstrong then extended the lead, only for Liverpool to hit back through Cody Gakpo and a second Jota strike to share the points and close the season out in dramatic fashion.
“It was good to see the boys just fighting together again, trying to get the result, seeing the crowd with us - suffering with us and supporting us - and at the end we said goodbye to a season that has been difficult for the club,” Sellés summarised.
In the closing stages Sellés substituted James Ward-Prowse as the club captain was given a standing ovation from the St Mary’s faithful, a moment the Saints manager believed his skipper thoroughly deserved.
“I thought, after a very difficult season, he’s been outstanding every time as a captain for this team so he deserved that moment with the crowd and that’s what we gave to him," he said.
“The crowd responded sensationally to their captain and we wanted to have those emotional moments today. What happens next is not my concern, it’s up to them, but it was my pleasure to work with him and lead the team together with him.”
In place of Ward-Prowse came the club’s newest youngest-ever Premier League player as Sam Amo-Ameyaw impressed in his short cameo off the bench.
“We talk many times that we need players that can feel the club, feel the people and can have the feeling of belonging to this club and I think the young boys have been working really hard this season," said Sellés.
“Kami [Doyle], who didn’t play today but was on the bench, Dom [Ballard] making his second Premier League appearance and then Sam is a young talent who has an amazing future and I expect them to be a very important part of the club next season.
“For me it has been a pleasure to be in this club, it has been a very difficult year for everybody. The last three months when we took the team we were in a bad situation, we gave some hope with a couple of victories but unfortunately we didn’t keep the level in terms of results and it has been a very tough final third of the competition.
“I just need to review what has been and move forward and say thank you for everything to Southampton and to the fans.”
