Saints will remain patient with Che Adams while he searches for his first Premier League goal.

The £15m summer signing couldn’t stop scoring in pre-season and has been handed the task of leading the line for Saints in the opening two matches of the campaign.

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is happy that Adams has played well even though he hasn’t quite been able to convert a chance and is prepared to stick with him while he searches for a first top flight strike.

He said: “If he wouldn’t have a chance so far or show that he can help us it would be more difficult for me to count on him.

“The last two games he had chances. Against Burnley after two or three minutes and against Liverpool and also a few very good scenes where he was important for the team.

“It’s normal you need a little bit of time to adapt to Premier League football but he has all the things he needs and that’s why I’m very positive with him and his teammates like him very much.”

Adams is certainly going through a testing time as he adapts to life in the Premier League.

Being a striker has the added difficulty that you are judged more on goals than performances, something Hasenhuttl was used to during his playing days.

“It is something not surprising that players when they come in the Premier League it takes time,” admitted Hasenhuttl.

“He is physically very strong and quick, he has a good finish, knows where he can get chances and this is a good package.

“The guys like him and how he works for the team as a calm and positive guy who fits perfect for the team.

“As a striker you are always looking for scoring and the performance that you do is only a really good one if you score. I was also a striker and if I played well and didn’t score nobody said ‘good job’. If I didn’t play well and scored people said ‘good job’.”

He added: “I think in the first two games he was a little bit unlucky and missed chances for goals by a few inches. In pre-season the first chance was a goal.

“In the last game I liked he was really working hard and created problems for Liverpool. He made a good game and was very aggressive against the ball.

“He has to stay hard working and our strikers have to invest a lot of work against the ball and it’s not that easy when you are not fresh to get the ball to score.

“He works hard and is a fantastic character and it takes time but I am sure he will score.”