Southampton’s number one goalkeeper Fraser Forster has been hailed by manager Claude Puel after two clean-sheets.

Puel stated that he firmly believes that the England international puts the fear factor into his opponents, while also praising the Saints players for their defensive performances in recent games.

Clean sheets are the way forward for Saints

Southampton have gone on a three-game run without conceding a goal, with hopes of continuing their good form into their Europa league game away to H. Be’er Sheva on Thursday.

The French manager has worked with some significant abilities over the years but hasn’t come across many keepers who have a massive physical presence in the net as Forster does for Saints.  

The man in charg said: “You see him and you’re afraid” when he was talking about the towering 6ft 7inch Forster who is between the sticks for Saints on a regular basis after overcoming injury.

After magnificently keeping three continues clean-sheets, Saints are now aiming to continue it on for this week’s games. Puel, a Frenchman, compared Forster to Tottenham Hotspur 'keeper Hugo Lloris.

“I think Fraser has different qualities to Lloris, they are not the same but two very good goalkeepers,” said Puel.

Stating that Foster prefers to “stay on his line” with having such a “big stature” which gives Saints a bigger advantage in the backline, and to make it “difficult” to score past that andd he is a “very good goalkeeper.”

The whole team deserves recognition

“The defence though is all of the team. If we see the work of Fraser since the beginning of the season, he has not had to make many saves in the game because all the team is strong with a good organisation,” he added.

However, it is all good and well when the team has such a strong personality in between the sticks, the team as a whole has to work together and “defend well as a team.”

He concluded: "It’s the same in attack. I would like at the end of the season to have 14 or 15 different players to have scored in the Premier League the team attack and all of the team defend.”