Southampton boss Nathan Jones insists he’s not concerned by boo boys after Nottingham Forest defeat

Southampton boss Nathan Jones insisted he will remain “thick-skinned” after his team were loudly booed after a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Disgruntled home fans expressed their discontent following the Saints’ sixth consecutive defeat in the Premier League, with full-time boos followed by chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’.

Three precious points for Forest lifted them out of the relegation zone, while Southampton remain last on the back of a fourth top-flight defeat since Jones’ appointment.

Nathan Jones has now lost all of his four games in charge at Southampton.

“I can’t get ahead of what the fans are going to do,” the Welshman said of the boos. That is totally up to them.

It doesn’t concern me. I’m a bit surprised, but that’s her prerogative.

“The thing about being a football manager, especially when you come from where I come from and you have an opportunity here, I understand the skepticism etc. The fans have paid their money, they do whatever.

‘For me, as a manager, you have to be tough.

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi ended a 576-minute wait for an away goal

‘It’s not the first time I’ve been booed, it’s not the first time I’ve taken a stick.

“You have to show real traits to help you get through this because when we get through this, it’s going to be proud moments for me.”

A calamitous defense once again contributed greatly to Southampton’s downfall as their precarious position became a bit more dangerous.

Taiwo Awoniyi fired Forest’s game-winner in the 27th minute, the game’s only attempt on goal, following a careless mistake by Saints defender Lyanco to give the visitors a first away success of the season at the highest category.

Brennan Johnson retrieved the ball for Awoniyi to score in the 27th minute

Brennan Johnson set up the goal after hitting the bar earlier, while Che Adams squandered the best chance for the hosts, who lost four points from safety due to poor goal difference.

Former Luton manager Jones said Southampton must produce positive results to get aggrieved supporters back on their side.

“That’s the only way to change it,” he said.

‘It was a front footed performance tonight. We work hard, we just don’t show enough quality.

Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters (left) and Forest’s Orel Mangala battle for the ball

‘You had a side that grafted, that had more situations than Forest and we just didn’t show enough quality and then we gave them a goal away.

There are many things we can do better and we have to.

Resurgent Forest have now taken 11 points from the last 21 available, having managed just six of the previous 33.

The two-time European champions were more than comfortable protecting their slim lead and jubilantly celebrated their first top-flight away win since a 2-1 triumph at Blackburn in May 1999.

With the match also bringing a first away goal since August, Forest boss Steve Cooper said a fruitful trip to St Mary’s ticked ‘a lot of boxes’.

Forest boss Steve Cooper celebrates after his team left the relegation zone.

“It’s better to be out than in, of course, and we’ve spent enough weeks there,” he said of breaking out of the bottom three.

‘Now that we’re out of there, the obvious challenge is to stay out of it and, if you can, get away from it.

But that’s going to be one step at a time, it’s much easier for me said than done, same for the players.

“But today is a start, it’s our first away win, an away goal, which we needed, a lot of boxes ticked today in terms of challenges for the players that we managed to overcome and we’re good at it.”

“The locker room is very close, especially the guys who didn’t play, which is what I love, what we need.

‘I never thought we would give in. I know it’s easy to say now, but we feel comfortable in the game.”