RALPH Hasenhuttl wants Saints to show Bournemouth that they are the south coast’s number one side.

The Cherries came away with a 3-1 win when the two teams met at St Mary’s back in September.

But Eddie Howe’s side are now in the relegation zone battling for their Premier League survival with Saints sitting happily on 46 points.

"Every player has his own story for why we want to win against this club,” Hasenhuttl said.

“Like always, you want to show who is number one on the south coast.

"After the first game we were far behind them in the table and now we are high above them - we have seen how things can change. 

"But I always like to concentrate on the things I can change on the pitch, to find tools that give you a chance to win the game.

“This is for me very often more important than finding the motivation to beat them. It is not necessary in this game I don't think.”

Bournemouth’s surprise home win against Leicester has given them a chance of pulling off a great escape.

But they will have to beat Saints for that to happen.

Howe’s future has been put under the microscope in recent weeks, with the Cherries boss refusing to say whether he’ll be at the club next season, regardless of what league they are in.

Despite the 42-year-old’s struggles, Hasenhuttl made it clear that his opinion on Howe hasn’t changed.

The Austrian added: “Absolutely, I think it's big praise that he did it for five years, to keep this club in the Premier League, everybody knows how difficult it is.

“I still have a high opinion of him even though he has had a very, very difficult season.

“But we also had a very difficult season. We were able to find the turnaround, they had a better start, had a successful period, and then you end up in the relegation zone. So, it goes quick in the Premier League.

“You maybe don’t do anything much different from before, and the results are not coming, and you go downwards, and this absolutely goes very quick.

“This league is so tough. I still think they have a chance, but we are focussed on taking points there. That is the problem we have.”