PIERRE-Emile Hojbjerg’s stunning first goal at St Mary’s was one that Mark Hughes would have been proud of during his illustrious Manchester United career.

Now the Dane plans to improve his ball striking further – by watching the Saints manager’s best goals on YouTube!

Before his recent goals, at Crystal Palace and the 35-yard stunner against Brighton, Hojbjerg’s only previous goal for Saints was in Hughes’ first game in charge, the 2-0 FA Cup win at Wigan in March.

He credits his teammates for his impressive form this season, but knows there were few better at scoring spectacular goals than his manager.

“It’s fantastic to score goals and to be involved in that but I’m not quite there yet,” he said. “Sometimes it goes in a bit more often than at other times.

"Maybe I should watch a couple of the gaffer on You Tube to get a bit more!”

Hojbjerg had not scored a Premier League goal in 33 starts before securing the 2-0 win at Crystal Palace three weeks ago.

He does not rate his breathtaking curler against Brighton as the best of his career, preferring one he scored as a teenager at Bayern Munich.

“I had one in Germany, it was the last game of the 2014/15 season. It was not so bad – a little better!”

But he is grateful to his teammates for their part in his impressive recent all-round form.

“You always try to improve that part of the game, to be more dangerous and more game-changing whether you’re a number six, a number ten, a right winger or a striker.

“I couldn’t do any of it without not only the ten other players on the pitch but the rest of the squad for the work we do behind closed doors. You need your teammates with you every day to make you better, to take you with them to compete and get that sharpness.

“Without that you can’t do it at the weekend. I feel fit and the team does as well. So it’s about continuing that journey, not looking too much back and believing what you do will lead to success because I truly believe this will be a good year for us.”

Hojbjerg’s hunger to learn helped him make the most of his time under Pep Guardiola at Bayern and it remains the case under Hughes.

“It’s an all-round thing. You always try to take the small details and put them on a higher stage,” he said. “Being quicker on the ball, being quicker analysing the game, running quicker, running more, intercepting more balls, aerial duels. Everything.

“You try to really push every single aspect because this is who I am and it’s a big part of football. You have to be complete and dynamic in your game and your way of playing and thinking and understand that the football is becoming even faster and better.”

Now in his third season with Saints in the Premier League, Hojbjerg is settled.

“Sometimes you think you’re used to it and sometimes not, but it’s also about the culture and the life and playing nine straight months.

“As a team we’re in a good way and I’m happy and confident here. It’s about continuing what we do and believing the way we are doing it is the right way.”

The next test for Saints is the trip to Wolves this weekend.

“We have great respect for Wolves, first of all for what they did last year and for what they have done so far this season,” he said. “They play with great energy, they are a proud team, they’ve been number one since last year and are now in the Premier League so they’ve achieved something as a group.

“We need great respect for them and to be prepared because in the Premier League anything can happen.”