Saints are focussing on trying to get better balls into the box to get more goals.

The team have failed to score in their last four Premier League matches, but there were encouraging signs in the 0-0 draw at Bournemouth with plenty of chances created.

“We talk about trying to get better quality balls into the box,” said Mark Hughes.

“We have two goalscorers on the pitch and that’s their reputation and what they built their careers on but clearly they need good service.

“We have been a bit reluctant in recent weeks of putting balls into good quality areas rather than trying to pick people out so we are talking about trying to up the amount of crosses going into the opposition box to make defenders actually defend rather than us taking the option just to keep possession. Hopefully that will help us.”

Hughes made a positive team selection against the Cherries and got the response he hoped for.

“It was what we needed. We needed good energy at the top of the pitch,” he reflected.

“Charlie and Danny gave us huge effort and they were out on their feet after 70 minutes which is why I made the changes I did to make sure we kept the energy at the top end of the pitch so we had triggers and the guys behind them to react as a consequence.

“It was an important performance for everybody.

“I thought we deserved the win but we take the point and build from here.”

Saints have had a couple of weeks to work on things and Hughes admitted that the international break probably came at a good time for his side.

“Maybe. With our defensive work that we wanted to improve on we wanted to be more on the front foot,” he said.

“We have lost games at Liverpool away and Chelsea in the run we’ve had and it’s very difficult to be on the front foot against that quality of side.

“We needed to reset ourselves and understand that Bournemouth are playing well but we need to affect them with our performance.

“We did that, we were always a threat, didn’t allow Bournemouth any periods of sustained pressure which is important here if you allow that momentum to kick in.

“It’s a really good away performance in my view.”