Mark Hughes has backed Saints to recover from their late heartbreak at Everton and put in a “great” performance at Swansea.

Saints dominated the entire match at Goodison Park and looked set to take a huge step towards Premier League safety as they led 1-0 in Merseyside.

However, a controversial deflected goal deep into stoppage time denied them three vital points and piled the pressure onto Tuesday night’s huge relegation encounter in Wales.

Hughes, though understandably gutted at the way things had unravelled for his side, was still upbeat about their chances.

He said: “We have come here in a difficult fixture and played well and have gone away from here out of the bottom three. It is only the circumstances of the game which are affecting us at the moment.

“We have a quick turnaround and we can go again.

“We were great last weekend, we were great again today and we will be great again on Tuesday I am sure.”

Hughes has at least helped to give Saints hope of survival.

They will head to Swansea in decent form having gone unbeaten in their last three and picking up five points in the process.

“It was difficult circumstances,” reflected Hughes of his appointment at Saints. “What did I have eight games?

“I think I came in and made an impact with a group which is really strong at the moment.

“The fixtures weren't kind – we've had one home game, we have one to come against Man City, and the rest away games and it was never going to be easy but we have had a go and we are out of the bottom three.

“We just have to make sure we are after the next two games we have left.”

It was a tough day for Hughes who also saw his previous club Stoke, from whom he was sacked in January, relegated.

“You don't like to see guys you worked with for a long time suffer like that and it was a great shame,” he admitted.

“I have a lot of thoughts and feelings for the club, I gave everything during my time there, didn't finish my time there as well as I wanted but we had some good times there.

“We had the best finishes in the Premier League of any Stoke side, we broke almost every record that Stoke had in the Premier League in terms of points accrued, games won during the season, and so I can look back and think I did a good job there.

“Towards the end it wasn't easy, a lot of factors came into play. I wish them well and I am sure they will have a strong team to come back next year.”