Southampton's unbeaten run might have come to an end at Premier League leaders Liverpool, but manager Mark Hughes was not disheartened after his team's 3-0 loss at Anfield.
The defeat put a stop to a three-game streak in which Saints had won twice and drawn another, as they became the seventh side in succession to lose to the Reds at the start of this season.
The game was effectively over by half-time, with all of Liverpool's goals coming before the break, but Hughes still took solace from some of his team's play in that opening 45 minutes.
"I thought we had good moments, plenty of good play in wide areas, where we created space and opportunities to get good balls into the box, but you've still got to keep the back door shut and we weren't able to do that today," he said.
"This is the first defeat in four games, so we've been doing ok. Obviously, coming to places like this, you've got to give yourself a chance to stay in the game and create opportunities when you're on an even keel with the opposition, but we weren't able to do that.
"The quality we faced today is at a really high level and we caught them unfortunately at a point in the season where they're at the top of their form.
"They're playing exceptionally well and beating everybody. We're just one of many at the beginning of the season.
"It's a shame. Maybe before the game no one expected us to win, but I just felt in the first half we didn't give ourselves an opportunity to stay in the game."
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