SOUTHAMPTON manager Russell Martin admits that his club’s difficult start to the season has been the steepest learning curve of his managerial career but insists he still has full faith in his players.

Saints set aside their miserable Premier League form — just a single point from nine games — to edge into the League Cup quarter-finals with Tuesday’s last-gasp 3-2 win over Championship club Stoke.

Progression in the cup followed a positive performance in Saturday’s narrow 1-0 loss at champions Manchester City, which prompted praise from rival boss Pep Guardiola.

Southampton host 16th-placed Everton this weekend seeking an overdue first top-flight success as they continue to adapt to the greater pressures of the league following promotion.

“I’m learning all the time,” said Martin. “I think I’ve learnt as much this season than I have done in any other season and we’re nine games in, so I’m enjoying that side of it.

“We tried to put into play everything we’ve learnt so far this season on Saturday [against City] and the players did it amazingly well.

“For us, the challenge and the learning is about trying to remain who we want to be and trying to improve and be better at that and grow under the big spotlight and scrutiny. Then the rest will take care of itself and I’ll be fine and comfortable with whatever happens.

“I really believe in this group. I really believe in what we’re doing, and now we have to put it on the pitch on Saturday.”

Saints looked set to cruise into the last eight after Taylor Harwood-Bellis’s header and Adam Armstrong’s penalty put them in control.

But the Premier League’s bottom club blew the two-goal advantage and were reliant on a goal-line clearance from Yukinari Sugawara and James Bree’s 88th-minute winner to scrape through.

Martin deliberately avoided criticising his players’ shortcomings in victory after a similar approach last season backfired, leading to three defeats from the next four fixtures.

“I want the performance to be better,” he said. “But I made a mistake last year: we beat Watford at home in April when we were 2-0 up and went 2-2 and then Flynn [Downes] scored in the 94th minute and I went to town on the players after the game.

“I think it surprised a lot of them because we managed to win the game; so I learnt my lesson from that, because we didn’t win games after that. I think it affected us a little bit.”

Stoke sit 19th in the Championship following one win in seven league games since the appointment of head coach Narcis Pelach in September.

The Potters host Derby and Millwall, either side of a midweek trip to Blackburn, before the next international break.

“We have two games at home, we’re going to try to bring the energy, to have all the team together with the fans,” said Pelach, whose side levelled at St Mary’s through Ashley Phillips and Tom Cannon.

“I have a positive feeling that we are building in the right direction, building a team that is hard to beat.

“Of course we cannot build it in three months, but I think we are going in the right direction.”