Southampton U21 coach Rusk delighted with Akachukwu's progress

Since then, he has already ascended to a prominent position as one of the key players for the club’s Premier League 2 side.

Asked about the youngster, Rusk said: "I'm not surprised. He's a good player and we've brought him here for a reason. It's good for him that he's made that start.

"As his coach, I'm going to say that he has to remain level about all of those things - he needs to knuckle down and graft for the long term.

"Romeo got the moment on the pitch, but there is a lot of lads in the under-21s who are making a lot of progress.

"It's important for me not to focus on individuals and ensure that we are all moving together."