Ryan Manning is eager to extend Southampton’s 9-game unbeaten streak and fight for the Premier League promotion till the end.
With a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton retain the 7th standing for yet another matchday. While the Saints still trail 4 points off 6th-placed Wrexham, the fans are loving the scenes lately.
Though Saints defenders actively contribute to the club’s scoring output, three different backline members stepped up to seal the job against the Owls. If that weren’t impressive enough, the players’ hunger to keep pushing for a playoff spot would surely impress fans.
After the comfortable 3-1 win, star performer Ryan Manning expressed his heartfelt thoughts in the media reception. While the victory took Southampton’s tally to a streak of nine games unbeaten, the left-back acknowledged the scope of improvement ahead.
As quoted by the Daily Echo, Manning mentioned: “That takes our streak to nine games where we’re unbeaten, which is massive. It puts us back up the table, closer to where we want to be, not quite where we need to be.”
Ryan Manning is eager for bigger collective accomplishments
It’s evident from Manning’s comments that while he’s pleased with Southampton’s recent form, he isn’t satisfied yet. Though the nine‑game unbeaten streak has lifted the Saints from mid‑table to 7th, Manning knows their ceiling is much higher.
That’s because Southampton possess an extraordinary squad, one that should be competing for automatic promotion. Already boasting some of the best players in the Championship, including Léo Scienza, Fin Azaz, and Taylor Harwood‑Bellis, the side has far too much quality to be relying on the playoff promotion route.
The only reason that has separated this dream from Southampton’s reality has been the group’s inability to strike a balance together. But Tonda Eckert’s arrival has proved to be a game-changer in this aspect over time.
Not to forget, Southampton once found itself in the 20th spot in an early-season crisis under Will Still. With him gone and Tonda arriving at the wheel, there has been a night-and-day difference in Southampton’s results.
However, it’s no surprise that results have improved under Tonda. Especially, given how calmly the manager has taken criticism, reflected on it, and adapted his plans to implement tactical changes, such as switching to a back‑four formation when the situation demanded it.
Thanks to these crucial changes, Tonda has made key players like Ryan Manning believe in a possible promotion once again.
Manning knows Southampton could be contending for the title if only they had started the season this way. But with time still on their side, the left‑back is urging his teammates to maintain the momentum and go all in for promotion back to the Premier League.
Manning would hope to repeat Southampton’s 2023/24 dream run
For a club with a history as rich as Southampton’s, its finest years were spent competing against England’s biggest sides. But with those days now a distant memory, the 2023/24 Championship campaign remains the fondest reference point for many current fans and players.
While the 23/24 season remains celebrated for the iconic playoff win at Wembley, the campaign went down in Saints history for another reason. Notably, this season saw Southampton go on a 25-game unbeaten streak that remains the club’s best ever to date.
From late September 2023 to mid-February 2024, the Saints steered past 22 Championship opponents without losing. Apart from this, they got the better of Walsall and knocked out Watford in the FA Cup in the process.
This streak was so impactful that it took Southampton from 15th all the way up to 3rd after a below‑par start to the Championship season. While Ryan Manning didn’t mention it openly, the full back must be wishing for the Saints to recreate a similar run this time around.
Back in 2023/24, Manning was emerging as a key player for Southampton. Fast forward to now, the full-back’s seniority has increased, and so has his experience. If Ryan Manning’s contribution stood out impressively under Russell Martin in the 2023/24 campaign, he’s now giving it his all under Tonda Eckert this time.
Previously, a flexible but firm leader, Russell Martin, had inspired the Premier League return. This time, Tonda Eckert is leading the side towards a promotion that looked impossible not long ago.
