RICKIE Lambert is backing his former Liverpool colleague Danny Ings to score the goals that will keep Saints in the Premier League.

Ings returned to action on Wednesday after a seven-week lay-off, playing 45 minutes of the 3-1 behind-closed-doors win against QPR at Staplewood.

It was his first match since limping off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw at Burnley on February 2.

Ings has not scored since Christmas but he remains Saints’ top scorer this season, with eight goals from 18 games, while James Ward-Prowse is now close behind on six.

Lambert is confident that the return of Ings, as well as the form of his former teammate James Ward-Prowse, will ensure Saints stay up.

“If Danny’s fit, he’ll score goals,” said the Saints legend. “I definitely thought Danny was going to do well, I thought he was a good fit for Southampton, having known from our brief time together at Liverpool.

“Prowsey and Nathan Redmond are playing very well, they’ve got to get people like that on the ball and if they keep solid at the back I think they will score the goals.

“They’ve got more than enough when you look at their forward line.”

Saints legend Lambert was at Liverpool for six weeks with Ings in the summer of 2015, before leaving Anfield for West Brom.

“I knew he was good from his time at Burnley, but was surprised at how good he was when I saw him in training.

“Especially technically and skill wise. Very, very good.

“When he’s been fit he’s done extremely well, he’s caused a real handful to some of the top defenders across the country.

“If he gets fit and stays fit I’ve no doubt Southampton will stay in the league.

“He’s got excellent feet and a really good brain and was a bit unlucky at Liverpool.

“If he didn’t have those injuries he would have done well.

“But with those injuries and the players Liverpool brought in it was inevitable he was going to have to find somewhere else.

“When he joined Southampton I thought it was brilliant for both parties.”