Saints manager Ronald Koeman was thrilled to see his team’s midfield goal rush continue at Swansea.

After Morgan Schneiderlin and Jack Cork’s scoring exploits already this season, it was the turn of Victor Wanyama to get in on the act at the Liberty Stadium.

The 23-year-old came off the bench in the second half to net the winner, with the strike representing his first ever goal for the club.

Koeman hailed Wanyama’s influence on the match, and also reiterated the importance of his midfielders contributing in attack.

“It was a great goal,” he said. “He gave the spirit to the team when he came in and, of course, if you like to win, you need players who score, and not only the forwards but as well the midfield players.

“Until now, the midfielders are doing very well. It’s always a difficult decision which three midfielders will play for the game, and if they scored like today and last week it’s great, it’s very good for the team.”

Between them, Schneiderlin, Cork and Wanyama have scored six goals this term, with five of those coming in the Premier League. It is in stark contrast to the last campaign, when the club's central midfielders accounted for just four league goals all season - Schneiderlin and Steven Davis getting two each.

Like Wanyama, Cork had never found the net for Saints before this year, while Schneiderlin’s reputation had not been one of a prolific marksman either.

Cork and Schneiderlin have already spoken about how they have benefited from Koeman giving them licence to get forward and, ahead of Saturday’s game, the Saints boss explained what he is expecting from his midfielders in that sense.

“We do exercises in the finishing not only for the attackers, but as well for the midfield players,” he said.

“We like to play offensive. We play with three players in front, with three midfielders, and we need at least one or two midfielders in or near the box to have the players in position for the second ball and, ok, if you play up and you play offensive then you need midfielders who score, because it’s not always up to the strikers.

“In my opinion, midfielders have to score between five and ten goals.

“I give the freedom to those players to play more offensive than maybe they did before.”

Koeman also enjoyed seeing Saints’ top scorer Graziano Pelle turn provider on Saturday, with a superb pass that put Wanyama in.

He agreed the Italian’s vision is an underrated part of his game, adding: “He worked very hard, Graziano.

“The two centre backs of Swansea were defending very well to Graziano, and then you need moving people around the striker and that makes the goal, and that was fantastic attacking by ourselves.”