Southampton defender Jose Fonte is eager for his side to finish the current campaign strongly.

Southampton's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were all but crushed after they succumbed to a disappointing 1-0 loss at the hands of Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

With the Saints now having very little to play for from now until the end of the season, there is a possibility that their season could fizzle without much ceremony.

However, defender Fonte is eager not to allow this to happen and has urged his side to end the campaign in a strong fashion.

Fonte said: "Obviously, there's seven games left and we take game by game. We want to win every game, so now there's nothing we can do and we focus on the next one.

"That's all we can do, is try and win against Hull City. We have a lot to play for, so, for us, the motivation is on a high and we know we have a job to do, so we've got to win this one.

"They're a very good team, they're fighting for their lives, so we know what to expect, so we need to be ready for that."