Every word Southampton boss Rusk said after defeat to Fulham

How disappointed are you with the result specifically?

SR: Yeah, you get in front and work so hard to get in front, and get to the stage of the game, 73 minutes, the first goal against really top opposition.

When you look at the investment into the squad they've got and they've the players, there's a reason they're challenging for European competition.

To see the game slip away from you like that is really difficult, quite painful, but I still think there's a lot that we can take from that moving forward.

Do you agree with Marco Silva's claim you did not try to score?

SR: He's a great manager with lots of experience, isn't he? And I think, I take that with a pinch of salt at the end of the day. However you get in front, we got in front and we deserve to be in front and we had other moments in the game. 

I'm pretty sure that if he was in our situation he'd be finding the best possible way for his players to try and win a game of football. I'm not too concerned about other people's assessment of us, what matters is our assessment of us.

What was your message at half-time to the players?

SR: I think it was be a little bit more composed on the ball in moments. It's natural that the group has had a really tough year and they're fighting.

I think everyone can see that. The effort and desire that the lads are giving is absolutely not in question from my perspective whatsoever. 

It's what we expect of course but I'm just reaffirming that. I think when there's a temptation you get in front you want to sit and protect your lead.

That's completely understandable for the type of season we've had. In the end it's cruel and I feel for what we're giving and pound for pound what we're playing against, I do think we deserve something out of the game.

Is there too big a difference in quality of squad and substitutes? 

SR: Of course. That's the nature of this division now isn't it? It's there for everyone to see, I don't need to state the obvious.

It's far easier for other teams to sustain that level of attack with the type of options that maybe they can utilise from the bench and start with.

We all know that. For me, it's not about what we have got or what we haven't got, it's about making sure that we are giving everything to the cause. 

Everyone's going to have an opinion on how a team should play and shouldn't play and that's okay, but I think for me it's about making sure we're getting our basics right in how we're approaching the game.

In the end today,I've not watched the goals back in great detail yet but it is a cruel moment for us I think in the end.

Should have been a special goal for expecting Jack Stephens?

SR: It is still a special goal, any goal in the Premier League is special and he's been a fantastic captain since I've inherited the interim role.

It was a nice moment for him. I know, of course, our overriding feeling is not one of joy around the good moments in the game for us here.

We're hurt and we're disappointed with the way the game has ended but I'm sure as the week goes on we'll be able to reflect on some things that were good in there and that will be one of them.

Looked like he was struggling physically, was he all okay?

SR: I think he might have had a knock on his knee but the captain wanted to stay on and there was nothing overriding message coming from the medical team that he needed to come off.

What was the mood like in the dressing room for full-time?

SR: You could probably answer that question for me. It's obvious isn't it, it's We're close to getting a really great point, they're a top team this season.

They are pushing for Europe for a reason and we nearly got a really good result. We nearly got a really, really good result.

So of course the lads have gutted it but as the week goes on we can't be victims about it. We're going to have to use that.

At the end of the day, these are the things that drive you on. It felt great last week, it felt great to win a point, and this week it hurts.

They're the things that drive you on in football. One thing for sure, by the time we get to three o'clock next week we'll be ready to go again.

Do you feel you can pick the players up ahead of Leicester?

SR: Yeah, I don't think it will be hard to pick the players up. I think they're desperate to finish the season as well as they can.

We are a relegated team but the focus is that we want to finish the season strong, as a group of people pulling in one direction.

We're hoping that we can give the supporters as many good moments as possible and as a group of players that we can deliver as many points as possible.

That won't change. It's a good bunch, it's been a difficult year but we want to finish it as well as we can. I'm really confident that we'll be ready.