Claude Puel believes Saints will need six points from their remaining three games to make it through to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

Saints have taken four points from the first half of their Group K campaign, after a win at home to Sparta Prague, a draw at Hapoel Be’er Sheva and defeat to Inter Milan in the San Siro.

Puel thinks ten points will get them through as one of the top two teams, with matches at home to Inter and Be’er Sheva coming either side of the trip to Prague.

The Saints boss is optimistic over his side’s chances with tonight’s game against Inter looking like a key fixture.

He said: “Of course it’s an important game against Inter Milan but I am not so sure (it is decisive) because they lost the first two games.

“For us also I saw we take it late with a loss at the San Siro and it is important to win this game.

“The qualification will be normally around ten points. Six points from three games for us and we play two games at home and one game away and it will be important to win at home. That is very very important.”

Puel will definitely be without Cedric Soares, Shane Long, Matt Targett, Alex McCarthy, Jake Hesketh and Harrison Reed for tonight’s game, while Jay Rodriguez could be fit to be involved again.

The pressure is on Puel to play his strongest side this evening, but he insists that all the competitions Saints are involved in remain equally as important in his mind.

“All the competitions are my priorities because I think it will be very interesting for the squad to continue in this competition, because they can learn more and more things in these games,” admitted Puel.

“The cups, the Europa League, the Premier League, is all important for me. We will see the future and if we can stay with the competitions.

“It is the objective of the squad to want to play every three days, and it is hard of course for the energy and the recovery but it is interesting to play these games and all the players prefer games to training sessions.”

He added: “I expect the same as the first game – a good quality on the play and the possibility to take points of course.

“I think we lost late at the San Siro and it is important to continue our qualification possibilities and to keep the possibilities to continue this work.

“It is important for us to see this.”