Mark Hughes has called on his squad to “suck it up” and get on with the job in hand after a chastening 3-0 defeat at West Ham.

Saints look in greater danger than ever of relegation from the Premier League after they were well beaten in a such encounter at the London Stadium.

Hughes was clearly shocked by the performance he saw from Saints in his first top flight game since taking over, and that was compounded by a result that leaves the club in very grave danger of going down.

With just seven games left, and Saints looking down the barrel of a tough fixture list, which sees them play Arsenal and Chelsea next, time is running out for Hughes or anyone else to save Saints now.

Hughes hinted there could be some significant changes to the team as a result of what he saw in the defeat to the Hammers, where Saints’ woeful first half display saw them concede three times to a side patched up after suffering a host of injury blows.

Hughes said: “We need to find out (if there is enough time to turn it round).

“It’s not going to be easy and I knew that when I took over clearly. It was always going test everybody connected with Southampton.

“We have got to suck it up, take it on the chin, dust ourselves down, all the cliches you might want to repeat, and get on with the very difficult situation we find ourselves in.

“From my point of view today was actually a very good learning experience because I understood a lot more about the group I’ve got to work with. That will shape my thinking leading into the next game.”

The first half performance was arguably the worst 45 minutes Saints have produced for a very long time.

It was a shocking sight in such a pivotal game for the club and suggested that confidence and belief had reached a real low.

“Clearly confidence is at a low ebb it’s fair to say, and clearly confidence on the football field is a big part of allowing players to be able to perform at their maximum,” reflected Hughes.

“Clearly we that are looking around for a little bit of inspiration and a little bit of a lift in their own confidence.

“We only do that clearly by improving your performance levels individually and collectively and by winning games and getting results, so it’s a clear pathway for everyone connected with the club.

“We have just got to be better on Saturday afternoons come 3 o’clock.”