Jay Rodriguez has credited Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino with bringing the best out of him.

The forward has been the club’s most potent goal threat under the Argentine, and scored twice in the 3-0 Boxing Day win at Cardiff.

Rodriguez’s total for the season has risen to eight in the Premier League, already two more than he managed last term.

“He’s given me the belief,” he said. “He’s backed me, he’s played me.

“I’ve played regular games and I think that’s important. He’s always given me the belief and the way we play I think suits me.

“We can try and get in behind the defence and hopefully be around the box to put the goals in, so it is nice at the moment and hopefully I can improve.”

Rodriguez added: “I think you’ve always got to have that inner confidence to believe that you can do the things you want to do in the game, but it’s nice obviously he’s brought it out of me since he has come in and it’s all credit to him really, because I’m really chuffed with what I’m doing.”

Rodriguez’s form since making his England debut, in mid-November against Chile, has been exceptional, with five goals in his last six games.

While he might not have made the sort of impact he would have liked on the Three Lions’ manager, Roy Hodgson, during his international bow, Rodriguez says the experience has greatly benefited him.

“It’s an honour to go and play for your country,” he said. “It brought me confidence, self-belief, and I think it’s just a great overall experience for me. It’s been good.

“I want to try and improve on my goalscoring, but it’s been a good experience for me.”

The 24-year-old insists he is not worrying about whether he could still make the World Cup squad or not.

“I just try and concentrate on my own performance and try and improve as a player,” he said.

“I think that’s the main thing for me.

“Week in and week out I need to try and get better and score more goals, and that’s all I can focus on “If it does come, it comes, and it will be unbelievable, but I’m just trying to be focused on the season really.”