Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk insisted his decision to take Mateus Fernandes off in the second half of their side's 2-1 defeat at Leicester City was "totally justified".

In the 57th minute of the game, when Southampton was trailing 0-2, Rusk made an adjustment and replaced Fernandez. This move caused dissatisfaction among the visiting fans. There were boos of "You don't know what you are doing" in the stands, and they continued to shout Fernandez's name to express their doubts about the coach's decision.

After the game, Rusk publicly responded to the controversy: "I was a little surprised by the fans' reaction. Matti (Fernandez) had a chest infection last week and his physical fitness was obviously affected. This week he also returned to Portugal for family reasons, and his overall energy state is indeed insufficient."

“Marty has been a key player for us and I have a really good relationship with him.”

Rusk added: "I understand that fans may be confused on the surface, but if they understand the situation behind it and my intention, they will understand that this substitution is reasonable."

Despite the unsatisfactory results, Rusk still insisted on his judgment, which once again highlighted the difficult balance that coaches have to make between tactics and human feelings.