Mauricio Pellegrino insists Saints are “on the right path” after they produced a stirring display to draw 1-1 with Tottenham at St Mary’s.

Saints have found themselves in the bottom three after results over the weekend, but gave renewed hope with a terrific performance against in-form Spurs.

It was a world away from the 5-2 hammering Saints suffered at Wembley on Boxing Day, and gave further credence to the theory that Saints are showing real signs of improvement.

Pellegrino said: “I think we show football, we show good attitude, even when we were in trouble, to try and win the game.

“We play against an amazing side who don’t need to do too many actions to create problems but I think we sustain well in some moments and we create problems and until the end we could lose or we could win. It is part of the quality of the players.

“I think we are on the right path in this way and I am sure we will improve.

“Obviously we are in trouble in our position in this moment we are there but in three or four weeks everything can change.”

Pellegrino was under ever increasing pressure going into the Spurs game, but the attitude and commitment of the players certainly suggested they are ready to roll up their sleeves and fight for their boss.

The manager, though, played down thoughts the squad are fighting to keep him in his job.

“They don’t fight just for me. They fight for themselves. They fight for the club,” he insisted.

“There is something bigger than me and the players and this is the club and respect our fans, the club, the board and people.

“My first commitment is I love my profession but football is like when you are dancing with the other.

“It is 22 and not just 11.”

Saints are still 11 Premier League games without victory, but at least have a feeling they are improving.

“I think the team in the last four or five weeks from Manchester United game move one step forward in our consistency, but also now we cannot convert this moment in more points for the table,” reckoned Pellegrino.

“Even against Palace the first half we play a good game, against Watford the first half was really good.

“In some aspects we have to move one step forward and today the attitude from the beginning until the end was good.”

It was at least more like Pellegrino wants from his side.

“For sure. Something we have to improve is to keep the ball more because it’s difficult to run behind the ball against this side a lot of time,” said the Saints manager.

“We have to improve the capacity to hold the ball in the opponent half and from this position anything can change.”