Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted Saints lost their focus as they capitulated to a 3-0 defeat on the opening day of the season at Burnley.

Saints were going toe-to-toe with their hosts in wet and windy conditions at Turf Moor, but conceded three goals in the space of 12 chaotic minutes to start the season with a beating.

Hasenhuttl was dealt a blow in the build-up with skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg falling ill on the coach, but the boss refused to use that as an excuse.

He said: “Absolutely disappointing.

“I don’t want to start with the missing of my captain after the journey here to the stadium and at the last minute we have to change things because I think it was not the reason.

“For 60 minutes we were ok and we equalised the game in a way against a team who is not giving us a lot of chances to win balls early because they play quick long and second half one long ball and one bad timing and maybe because we played second half into the wind the ball goes a little long but I don’t know why the centre back’s missed this ball.

“Suddenly you are one down and nothing happens. It’s one down but what happened in the next 12 minutes was not acceptable.

“It was something we must be more focussed on our way and we lost it completely.

“We were ok for 60 minutes and after the first goal we lost it for 12 minutes and the game is gone and you don’t come back then because if you are three down there is no chance.

“It is a very disappointing start for us.

“We knew it would be difficult here and it would be a special game with the way we need to play here which is not easy for us.

“We did it ok for 60 minutes and then it was not good enough in the end to deserve a point and finally we go home without one.”

Saints unravelled so quickly but to Hasenhuttl it was no great shock.

“It wasn’t a surprise because it is the Premier League and if you make mistakes you concede a goal,” he admitted.

“We were not sharp enough in this moment and not really nasty enough to come back in the game and no chance to get a point then.”

He added: “I think we had before the first goal the better chances to score and were convinced about what we were doing.

“I know it’s not easy to play football here. It’s a lot of pressure and you have less time when you win the ball to play forward but finally I think we had a few good chances and it was a question of time when we can get the next one.

“When you make the first goal in this game it can be a sign for the team in the right direction.

“For us the reaction after the first goal was not good enough.

“The reaction after the second goal I changed a few things and got more offensive but there was no chance.”