Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl says his side are not safe just yet and they need more points following the 3-1 win over Wolves. Nathan Redmond fired his first top-flight double in two years and now boasts eight goals in 20 games in all competitions during Hasenhuttl’s tenure.
Related: Hasenhuttl Urges Saints to Kick On
Saints now sit eight points clear of relegation favourites Cardiff, with just five games to play. Hasenhuttl was quick however to warn his squad that there will be no easing off until safety is ensured. “It’s a massive win for us, but we’ve been speaking about 40 points for safety, so as long as we don’t have that I won’t celebrate,” said Hasenhuttl.
“I gave them a wake-up call at half-time even though we were leading 2-1, because we were not brave enough and we had a long way to go. “It was very hard for me to select the team; I gave Sims a chance today to play from the beginning. And he did very well – the first goal, he was in exactly the position I want him to be.”
Asked how he has brought Redmond back to form, Hasenhuttl added: “It’s a little bit of everything, sometimes give him the smooth shoulder, sometimes criticise him. “But we have a special relationship I think. He knows that I demand a lot from him, not only with the ball but also without.
He shows in every game that he’s learning and getting better. “I showed him what we need in his position, and showed him that he can be the guy that can make the difference. I knew it was only a question of time for him to be scoring again.”
