With 11 games played in the Premier League so far this season, Southampton have only managed to concede 12 goals, fewer than any other side in the bottom half of the league table as the St Mary's outfit continue their push to avoid relegation.
One Saints figure that has played a big part in Southampton's defence so far this season is Jan Bednarek, who has played the full 90 minutes in all of their seven previous league games.
The centre-back, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £20k-per-week at Southampton according to Spotrac, was on international duty last night in Poland's 2-1 defeat against Hungary in their latest World Cup qualifying match.
Despite the disappointing result, Bednarek proved with his performance why Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has put so much faith in him in recent weeks.
During the full 90 minutes that he was on the pitch for on Monday night, Bednarek managed to have 86 touches of the ball, complete 72 of the 75 passes he attempted and even have one attempt on target.
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From a defensive point of view, Bednarek managed to block one shot, make one tackle, complete two interceptions, two clearances and win 100% of the duels he was involved in, showing that even though he couldn't help his country ultimately keep a clean sheet on the night, he was still a useful defensive outlet for them at the back.
As well as this latest international performance, Bednarek has shown his worth to Hasenhuttl with his performances in the Premier League this term. WhoScored currently list the defender as Southampton's joint-third highest rated player with an overall rating of 6.91/10 alongside fellow defender Kyle Walker-Peters.
This also demonstrates that Bednarek has stepped up to the plate for Hasenhuttl in the absence of Jannik Vestergaard, who left St. Mary's during the previous summer transfer window for a move to Leicester City.
Taking this into account and the fact that Hasenhuttl has previously described Bednarek as an "important" player for his Southampton side, it's safe to say that the defender has certainly shown his worth this season for club and country.
Moving forward, with Saints defender Jack Stephens still out injured for the time being, Hasenhuttl and everyone else at the south coast club will undoubtedly be hoping that Bednarek can keep delivering on the pitch for Southampton for as long as possible, as his defensive efforts could well push the club to a finish in the top half of the league table by the end of the season.
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