Saints rounded off their pre-season trip to France with a comfortable 2-0 win over Dijon.

There was progress for Mark Hughes’ men after a week away and they put behind them their 3-0 defeat at Derby the previous weekend to return to Southampton with some confidence restored.

Hughes again started with three centre halves, playing a 3-4-1-2 formation as he sought he get his players more game time and match sharpness with the Premier League season now just a fortnight away.

Saints, playing in their newly unveiled third kit, had an early chance as a half-cleared corner was knocked across by Shane Long to Manolo Gabbiadini, but he fired over.

The provider turned goalscorer as Saints took the lead on 27 minutes as Stuart Armstrong fed in Ryan Bertrand down the left and his precise centre was turned in in simple fashion by Long.

There was nearly another for Saints before the break but Gabbiadini could only head wide.

Hughes made five substitutions at half time but Saints wasted no time in furthering their advantage, doubling the lead moments after re-start.

Charlie Austin’s ball over the top found Dijon wanting defensively but there was no mistake form Gabbiadini who lifted it over the advancing keeper for 2-0.

Dijon threatened only occasionally and their best chances resulted in fairly routine saves.

Saints now return home to enter a big week of preparation as they host Celta Vigo and Borussia Monchengladbach in St Mary’s friendlies on Wednesday and Saturday respectively, their final warm-up games before facing Burnley in their top flight opener.

Saints: McCarthy (Gunn 46), Bednarek (Stephens 46), Vestergaard, Hoedt, McQueen (Reed 66), Romeu (Ward-Prowse 66), Hojbjerg (Davis 46), Bertrand (Targett 75), Armstrong (Elyounoussi 46), Long (Austin 46), Gabbiadini (Redmond 66).