Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says striker Michael Obafemi has to battle harder to win his place in the team.

Obafemi has only managed 20 minutes of first team football this term, some of which came in the Carabao Cup loss to Brentford.

The 20-year-old has not even been in the list of substitutes for recent games in the Premier League.

The Dublin born star has been playing for the Republic of Ireland under-21s during the international break.

Asked about the player's chances of getting more game time, Hasenhuttl told the Daily Echo: "Others have been better. It's so simple as this.

"If you know me as a coach then you know that for me the form is more important than the talent.

"When somebody shows me more in the sessions, then I am always keen to take him and give him a chance.

"When you see our actual squad, there are seven or eight players when I arrived or during the time I've been here, there have been moments where they haven't been selected for the squad at all.

"This is tough, but they know when they show up, they always have a chance to come back.

"I think this is the best you can give as a manager - to give everybody a neutral chance to show up and then you are good or bad at that moment and then if you get the chance to play, then you must show up."