Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted to being “emotional” after beating Arsenal in his first home match in charge of Saints.

The Saints manager guided his new side to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Gunners to lead his team out of the relegation zone.

Hasenhuttl had excited Saints supporters with his words before the game and then his team did the same with their performance as they worked tirelessly to win only their second league match of the season and the first at St Mary’s since April.

After the match Hasenhuttl charged onto the pitch to celebrate with his team and the supporters and was clearly highly charged.

He said: “I think it was a fantastic game from our team.

“From the first minute we saw a team working as a team.

“We were very good committed working against the ball and they get very focussed and after ten or 15 minutes they felt it could work in that manner and with every ball contact and counter attack we put on the pitch this belief in what they do was rising.

“That was the main part in the beginning but it’s not enough against such a team as they have so much quality they don’t need a lot of chances.

“I don’t think we gave much away and to come back again and again and again was amazing. “It showed we have the character to face problems and to make the next step.

“I think the crowd was helping us in a few moments and when came 85 minutes it was a fantastic moment. We scored a third goal and it was very emotional.

“I think we deserved to win.”

Of his post-match celebration, Hasenhuttl smiled: “First I have to apologise I didn’t shake the hand of Emery because I looked back one time and didn’t see him and I had to run to my guys because they were waiting and I did it later in the tunnel.

“It is what I wanted to feel when I was coming to the Premier League, this atmosphere after the game and to celebrate such a moment is I think something very special for me and special for the Premier League.

“That was what I was expecting to get here, a crowd that feels what we need in what moment and I think they saw there is a team working on the pitch like a team has to do.

“It is very important for the team they saw that kind of work with that kind of automatism of habits that we have a chance also against better teams and that’s why this win is so important for us.”