Southampton's Martin explains why he has made so many defence changes

Captain Jack Stephens, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and Jan Bednarek have all started in three of the last four Championship fixtures together. 

Harwood-Bellis has been shifted to the right to accommodate the skipper, while Stephens has deputised on both flanks this season.

With injured Kyle Walker-Peters expected to miss the visit of Preston North End on Wednesday, the trio could retain their places.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Martin explained his reasoning behind the recent selections.

He said: "It’s about getting players on the pitch that deserve to be on there. We have three outstanding centre-halves.

Jack Stephens is the club captain (Image: PA)

"Jack (Stephens) has shown how flexible he can be on Saturday and against Millwall as well. Against West Brom, he played left-back and was outstanding.

"We kept a clean sheet with all three of them on the pitch at West Brom. Then different games require different things.

"Taylor is comfortable there. Taylor had a really good game there. Jack can play there, he played really well there against Swansea and Norwich.

"It is not the reason we conceded three goals that Taylor’s playing there or Jack. They are all different. There is no pattern."

Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been operating off the right (Image: PA)

Martin added: "Jack has helped us so much with the game on Saturday, especially when he was stepping in with the ball.

"We don’t get too fixated on the formation because it’s more about the concept of the game and how it looks in certain phases. They are only starting positions really for us."

Martin admits he was "overthinking" by taking Stephens out of the starting line-up for the home defeat to Hull City last month.

He also revealed that the captain spoke to the players before him at half-time during Saturday's 4-3 comeback win at Birmingham City.

He explained: "At half-time on Saturday, my team talk was made so much easier because of what Jack had said to the boys before I had even got in there.

"I was made aware of that afterward by the staff. He’s an incredible captain and he brings it out of other people, and I think that’s really important.

"What Jack has done in a couple of games where we have asked him to go in there, and also at left-back against West Brom, it shows the level of footballing intelligence he has.

"The players trust him. He’s so smooth with the ball. I think we’re blessed with the centre-halves we have so it’s up to us to find the best solution to try and get them all on the pitch.

"We will always only ever pick the best team for that game. I was mad to take Jack out after West Brom, I tried to adapt and I overthought it."