Mark Hughes shrugs off Southampton fans' criticism after Fulham loss
Saturday 24 November 2018 18:51, UK
Mark Hughes says he is unfazed by criticism from a section of Southampton's travelling supporters after his side's 3-2 defeat at Fulham.
A section of Saints fans at Craven Cottage directed a "you're getting sacked in the morning" chant at Hughes, with some also shouting "you don't know what you're doing" when the manager substituted Stuart Armstrong late in the match.
The result leaves Southampton languishing down in 17th, one point above the relegation zone, having not won a Premier League match since September 1. Hughes, though, remains determined to turn things around.
"There's always questions, there's always noise," Hughes said. "There's always an opportunity for people to question your position or your work.
"You have to accept that. If results aren't what you want them to be, people get frustrated.
"At times it's a little bit unfair, because sometimes people smell blood and go after it and chase it and paint the situation in a different light than it actually is.
"It doesn't faze me. I've gone through these periods before. You just get on with it and get on with your job to the best of your ability."
"The guys are working hard, there's pressure to win, pressure to get results, pressure to perform. You've got to shrug that off and get on with it.
"We've got the opportunity to turn it around."
It could have all been so different for Southampton, who looked very comfortable when in front at Craven Cottage after Armstrong's opener, but their inability to hold onto a lead cost them once again, as a Aleksandar Mitrovic double inspired Fulham to victory.
"It is really frustrating," Hughes added. "On the day, in my view, we were the better team and scored two great goals. As the away side we shouldn't have to score four goals to win a football match.
"If you get yourself in a winning position, which we were in the first half, very comfortable in the first half, and all of a sudden they get two quickfire goals and we go in at half-time 2-1 down. I don't think anybody who was here saw that coming."
