Southampton moved out of the relegation zone on Wednesday ousting fellow relegation contenders Fulham to boost their survival chances.

The win couldn’t have come at a better time, considering the Saints now head into a dreaded period.

Next up is a trip to Old Trafford against a rampant Manchester United side, after which they host Tottenham Hotspur and round up March with a crucial tie against relegation rivals Brighton Hove & Albion. While picking up maximum points in any matches seems a tough ask, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men need to start believing in themselves.

They might not have dominated Fulham, but were clinical enough to bag three points. Both goals came due to center-midfielders Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse showing the kind of drive required to get on the score-sheet. Nathan Redmond is increasingly becoming an influential engine under Hasenhuttl, while Ryan Bertrand’s also regaining his best form at long last.

While Hasenhuttl still needs Danny Ings back for the goals, he also needs to keep their defensive work stable. The Saints have conceded some dreadful goals in recent weeks, and the midfielders need to start protecting defenders against dominant attacks. If Southampton can be defensively strong enough and clinical in the final third, they can frustrate the big sides into bagging a few crucial points.

The Saints need to be positive against Brighton at the very least, though shouldn't be scared about taking on either United or Tottenham.

Indeed, they need to attack all three of them to get three points and help their survival chances. The players have to start playing for the badge and show desire if they’re to weather the onslaught and live another season in the Premier League.

While fans on the south coast may rightly grumble about the distinct lack of quality in their squad compared to previous years, they have the kind of talent on the books to