Mauricio Pellegrino has urged Saints to take confidence into tonight’s massive St Mary’s relegation battle with Brighton.

Saints go into the game one point behind the Seagulls and knowing they desperately need a first Premier League win since November.

The team have been heading slowly in the right direction in recent weeks, and are unbeaten in their last four matches, which includes two FA Cup victories.

Pellegrino admits it is easy to just say the players should be confident but is hoping it will be the case.

He said: “I have got confidence when I try to do everything on the pitch and I try to give information and we practise on the pitch in the way we think we can be better.

“I feel confident when I see my players are committed on the pitch and they are ready to compete.

“When you see they switch on and are ready to compete I feel the confidence, from action and not from the sky.

“Confidence is not something you can buy in the shop, but something you have to build little by little.

“Sometimes you say ‘I need your confidence’ but when you don’t give some response to your boss, it’s difficult your boss will give you confidence.

“First of all you have to believe in yourself, to do your job well and it’s the same for us. The confidence is something you can grow and build with a small action every single day.”

It is a massive few days for Saints, who travel to face another relegation rival in West Brom on Saturday.

“We will try to do everything to try and win the game,” insisted Pellegrino ahead of tonight’s game.

“In the Premier League the difference is really tight for every single team and now obviously Brighton is a good team.

“They have been working together many times for the last seasons and they have got some qualities really good in defence and attack and it will be really tight.

“In the Premier League one small detail or action can change everything.

“I have confidence we are ready to compete well.”

Pellegrino is hoping that Ryan Bertrand will be fit to play after the left back was forced off during the FA Cup win over Watford with a hamstring injury.

He is also weighing up whether to hand a first start to new club record signing Guido Carrillo.

The £19.2m striker only joined last Thursday, and doesn’t speak English, but Saints could turn to him as they try and find three points.

“It’s a possibility,” admitted Pellegrino.

“It’s not 100 per cent the connection with his teammates but we will decide.

“We have two important games and I have to think about the first one but it’s one possibility.”