Mauricio Pellegrino Insists it Was Imperative to Improve Saints' 'Level and Belief'

Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino was very pleased with his side's 3-2 victory over fellow struggles West Brom. 

The Saints have struggled of late and find themselves in a battle for survival in the Premier League. Pellegrino hopes that this win will provide the team with some much needed confidence going into the business end of the season.

After falling behind in the fourth minute, Southampton showed real fight to turn the game around, going 2-1 up before the break, via goals from Mario Lemina and Jack Stephens. 

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They extended their lead shortly after the break with a James Ward-Prowse free-kick, before West Brom pulled one back through Salomon Rondon. The Saints defended well and held on to a well earned victory.

Speaking after the game, Pellegrino said: ''It's really important for us, obviously. Overall, for me, to believe and have the confidence in what we are and what we do on the pitch to reinforce our identity is important.

''Of course, when you don't have good results everybody comes under criticism, and that's normal – it's part of our life. But I try and persuade my players that our identity, with the ball on the floor, to create space... today was a difficult situation, it was a really hard game because it was close until the end.

''West Brom are really strong in how they play in crosses, but we deserved to win and probably deserved to score another goal. Overall, the most important thing was to improve our level and our belief.''

Southampton will be hoping they build on this victory when they face an in-form Liverpool side next weekend.