MAYA Yoshida has urged his team-mates to avoid bringing "any negativity" to the camp while Saints battle through a difficult period.

Mauricio Pellegrino's men sit three points off the relegation spots in the Premier League after one victory in nine games.

Ahead of a "massive" game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday at St Mary's, Yoshida wants a positive week of preparations.

When asked what Saints need to do to turn this around, he said: "Don’t bring any negativity, stay positive and help each other before we start pointing at each other – that’s the way."

"It’s a difficult situation which we haven’t had in the last couple of years," he said. "It’s like life, life isn’t always a good time.

"At this time we need to show our character and we have to stand up."

The Japan international, who was signed from Dutch outfit VVV Venlo for £3m, arrived at Saints in 2012 following their promotion from the Championship.

That campaign, Saints battled at the lower end of the table, before eventually avoiding relegation.

The 29-year-old sees similarities this season to his first at the club.

And having lost 1-0 to Chelsea and conceded late goals to Arsenal and Burnley recently, the centre-back has concluded there are "small details" costing Saints a lot at the moment.

"I had this in the first season and we finished 12th," he said. "It’s similar but it’s really in the small details.

"At Chelsea it was small details – one free kick. Against Arsenal – Giroud. Burnley – it was last minute as well.

"It’s all the small details but it costs a lot.

"If we put an extra 10 per cent on each other then I think we will get good results –  that I believe."

Now Saints welcome the newly-promoted Terriers, who are three points ahead of Pellegrino's men in 11th place in the Premier League.

"I think in this situation for us every single game is important and massive," said Yoshida about Huddersfield's visit. "We have to get back on track as soon as possible and that means we have to get three points.

"Especially, still, there’s huge disappointment after Leicester and we come back to home and we need to show a good spirit, as we did at Stamford Bridge."

Yoshida was pleased with the team's reaction in the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea

He said: "It’s still a difficult situation for us. Nothing has changed. We lost but this game was totally different to Leicester because individually and, as a team, we showed spirit.

"We showed a good reaction from the last game. We conceded the goal but, at least, we showed some spirit.

"I think the fans feel it."

About the defeat Stamford Bridge, he added: "As a team we needed to win, but personally I started to play again and I feel like I’m getting better and better.

"Maybe we had tiredness second half and that is normal when you play two games so quickly."