Wednesday 30 November 2016 23:48, UK
Southampton manager Claude Puel says Arsene Wenger told him to go on and win the EFL Cup after beating Arsenal at the Emirates.
Jordy Clasie and Ryan Bertrand scored in the first half as Saints beat the Gunners 2-0 to set up a two-legged semi-final against Liverpool.
Puel knows Wenger well having worked under him when he was a player at Monaco.
And, asked what his opposite number said to him after the EFL Cup quarter-final, the Saints boss said: "Just to win this cup."
Both sides made a number of changes for the clash at the Emirates, with only Mohamed Elneny maintaining his place in Arsenal's starting XI and Saints making eight alterations from their weekend win over Everton.
But it was the visitors who the better side as they reached the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in 30 years.
"It was a great performance because this game was a different profile," said Puel. "We were clinical in the first half, with two goals from two chances. I like this.
"After, in the second half, we had many chances to score another goal and make the game safe against a good team.
"It was a fantastic game to achieve that result: good solidarity, good attitude. I enjoyed what my players did.
"We have a chance to play a semi-final, home and away, in the second half of the season. That was the objective.[There are some] very important games in the future."
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