SAINTS manager Russell Martin admitted he "understands" fans voicing their displeasure despite remaining "proud" of his players.

Captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair as the Premier League’s bottom club were thrashed 5-1 by high-flying Chelsea.

Defender Stephens saw red in the 39th minute at St Mary’s, having tugged the curls of Cucurella during an inexplicable moment of madness.

Chelsea already led 3-1 at that stage thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke after midfielder Joe Aribo cancelled out Axel Disasi’s early opener.

Second-half finishes from Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho piled more misery on Martin’s men, who were booed off the pitch at full-time. 

Martin responded: "I understand that people want their team to win and when they see such a big scoreline and a couple of goals we concede, I understand it.

"So it's football, right? It's emotive and people feel so much about it, it's why it's such a special sport in this country and so big so I understand it.

"I feel really proud of the players tonight. Some of the football they played, we played, 11 against 11 was amazing and we should have been 1-0 up.

"We conceded such poor goals, a set play and a mistake, but the response was brilliant, we're so in the game, have good moments and hurt them with the ball.

"They hurt us as well because they have top talent but I saw a team that looked confident and took the ball a lot in the press early on in the game.

"We have a moment that changed the game because I thought we were in it, there were goals for us and then for an hour with 10 men we dug in so deep.

"There were some big performances and I'm proud of them for that and I'm grateful to them for that because that's not easy in that circumstance.

"It would be so easy at that point to stop running a bit, stop wanting the ball but they didn't and there were some big performances."

Martin had nearly a dozen players unavailable through suspension, injury and loan ineligibility - as the boss made four changes from the 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Sport Republic and the full Saints leadership team were in attendance for the clash at St Mary's and were pictured in a meeting ahead of the match.

Asked how he expects them to judge the night, given the circumstance, Martin responded: "I hope in the same way it would judge any other performance.

"We have to be realistic and put it in perspective. We've played against one of the best teams in the country at the moment with 10 men for an hour. 

"They see a team that is absolutely together and fighting so hard and who show that in the way they run and want to take the ball for each other.

I think all I can ever ask is they work as hard as they possibly can and they fight as hard as they can - and I believe they're doing that."