Saints will go to Manchester City this weekend with the belief they can win.

City have a hugely impressed record at the Etihad with victories in 45 of their last 52 home league matches and just three defeats. They have scored 144 times in that period with only 36 conceded.

However, Saints have one win and one draw against City, both at St Mary’s, since Mauricio Pochettino took charge of the club and the manager is in buoyant mood following the 4-0 hammering of Newcastle last weekend.

“We always have the belief that we are going to win,” said Pochettino.

“We have the belief in every single game that we are going to win.

“We know we are going to be facing a very tough side in Manchester City, a side that is definitely a candidate to win in the Premier League and are one of the best teams in England and Europe.

“Despite that we are still going with the belief that we are going to play our game and we are going to get something out of that game.”

He added: “I have been at the Eithad watching other games and we know we are going to be facing a group of fans who are fully behind their team and will be pressuring us as much as they can.

“We are going there with a clear idea to play our game, to play our style, and also to try to maintain if we can maintain the high standards that we showed against Newcastle.

“We are going with the mentality to play a very good game against a very tough side.”