Southampton FC latest: Russell Martin post-Middlesbrough claims, Ryan Manning, Carlos Alcaraz, Newcastle | OneFootball

With Southampton having suffered defeat away at Middlesbrough on Saturday, the club are well and truly in a tough patch.

Russell Martin's side have now lost their last four Championship matches, with some heavy defeats having come at the hands of Sunderland and Leicester City.

It was 2-1 to Middlesbrough on Saturday, but naturally, there was still plenty of headlines surrounding the Saints over the weekend.

We've rounded up three of the big ones below for your convenience.

Russell Martin frustrated by Middlesbrough defeat

Naturally, one headline surrounding the club was Martin's own reaction to the match on Sunday.

Martin was not only disappointed in the result but left frustrated by how passive his side were when they took the lead.

"I thought we were actually better than we have been. We started the game well," Martin told the Daily Echo.

"We stole the ball really well and Che (Adams) should have scored. Our goal was really good.

“That reaction to going ahead was passive. When we go 1-0 ahead, the mentality of the entire team totally changes.

"We didn't keep hold of the ball. If you're not going to press you need to look after the ball. We didn't do any of that. That’s ultimately what hurt us."

Martin on decision to drop Ryan Manning

One of the tactical decisions made by Martin ahead of the match was to take Ryan Manning out of the side and replace him with Mason Holgate, in a slight tweak.

Holgate really struggled, though, and after the match, Martin tried to explain his logic behind the move.

"Ryan [Manning] didn’t have a full pre-season and looked a little bit tired," Martins explained to the media, via the Daily Echo.

“Mason had trained really well and Kyle can play left-back and is comfortable there. That was that.

"We just wanted Ryan for the balance of the team (at half-time) really.”

Russell Martin on Carlos Alcaraz

Last but not least, the final headline surrounding the Saints that we have discussed is based on Carlos Alcaraz.

The 20-year-old Argentinian started three of the club's first four matches in the Championship but has only made the bench the last four times out.

Furthermore, on Saturday, he did not even get onto the pitch as a substitute as he had done in the prior trio of games.

Explaining this decision not to start Alcaraz, Martin told BBC Radio Solent, via Daily Echo: "I see the players every day. When you are asking people to play a certain way - Charly is a young man and doesn't speak the language well, if at all."

"We are asking him to play in a team with a lot of structure and there are things he knows he needs to do better.

"I said to Gilly that I will get criticised for not bringing him on, but it's about who you trust at this moment in time.

"You're either all in with the team or you're not. At the minute, Charly needs to come over to that sidereally.

"It's been a difficult time for him. He's lost Willy (Caballero) and he's lost Lyanco, his two best mates in the group.

"He's a young man who is miles away from his home and he's had some difficult news about his dad.

"We will help him through it and at some point he will be on the pitch for us and he will be fantastic, but now is not the right time while the team is struggling."

Newcastle United linked with Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz has been in the headlines for another reason recently as talkSPORT has reported that Newcastle United are keen on the 20-year-old.

The Premier League club are said to have made an enquiry in the summer and are now on alert after his drop in game time at St Mary's.

The Argentine's contract with Saints runs until the summer of 2027.