Long: Southampton want silverware this season

Southampton have set their sights on silverware this season, according to striker Shane Long.

The south coast club have not won a major trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 1976 but have reached the last four of this season’s EFL Cup, where they will face Liverpool over two legs.

“A bit of silverware would be nice and we want to push again for Europe by pushing up the table as far as we can,” Long told Sky Sports.

“We are in the semi-final of the EFL Cup now and we have a big enough squad to deal with those competitions.

“It is a great opportunity for us to get some silverware. It’s a long way away to think about it, we have a lot of games between then and now, but that would be the ultimate goal.

“We have come on so far over the last six or seven years as a club and it’s the only thing missing at the moment.

“Last year [the club’s best league finish since 1985] was a big achievement but to bring a cup back to the club would be a big achievement too.”

Southampton sit ninth in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s trip to Bournemouth and Long is keen to rediscover his scoring form, having not netted in 19 matches this season.

“We all have to chip in,” he added. “It’s a bit tough, the longer it goes on, the more you think about getting that goal.

“Me and Jay [Rodriguez] are in the same position. We are playing well, we are getting a few chances and the luck isn’t going our way.

“I’m confident in my ability and I know that goal will come and hopefully it will start a flow of four or five in a row and we’ll kick on from there.

“We are still only two points off seventh position and we are not comfortable with how the season has gone, so it shows there’s a lot of progress to be made.”