Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admits the support he's received from the club has surprised him.

It didn't take long for Hasenhuttl to endear himself to the St Mary's crowd following the departure of former boss Mark Hughes.

Two wins on the bounce against Arsenal and Huddersfield last December led to widespread praise.

The club's former main sponsor, Virgin Media, unveiled a poster saying 'Ralphampton' outside of St Mary's.

Hasenhuttl admitted to finding it all a bit overwhelming to begin with.

He told BILD: “Initially, the hype was almost too much for me. I won two games and was equal to 'King Ralph'.

“You have to be careful. But if you succeed in inspiring people here in a sustainable way, then they [the fans] are already similar to the Leipzigers.

“Regardless of the outcome, they are very positive. That gives me a lot of strength."