Southampton interim manager Tim Sherwood has revealed that he is expecting a tough test when his side visit Southampton this weekend.

The caretaker boss was quick to praise the work of former Saints coach Nigel Adkins and his successor Mauricio Pochettino in shaping an effective team.

"Nigel Adkins was doing a good job before him and it was a surprise to everyone that he left the club, but that shows you the nature of football," Sky Sports News quotes Sherwood as saying.

"Pochettino has gone in and it seems like he has taken them on, but it is still early days for him. It will be a very tough game for us down there.

"We know what to expect from Southampton, he has got his team playing a very high, pressed game with a quick tempo and lots of young, English players down there."

Sherwood went on to say that he intends to give Spurs' young players a chance during his stint in charge.

"You want to keep them [young players] at your club, you have worked hard since they were eight years of age and you were bringing them through, but they can't all stay," he added.

"Sometimes the manager and the board have to make a decision to bring in what they perceive is extra quality and if you make that decision you have to live and die by it."

Spurs will travel to St Mary's to take on the Saints on Sunday.