The Saints have majorly struggled to set the world alight since the 2017/18 Premier League season kicked off two months ago and the manager is aiming for his squad to put a string of results together over the coming weeks.
Mauricio Pellegrino's Southampton team welcome Newcastle United to St. Mary's Stadium on Sunday eagerly hoping to put their shyness in front of goal behind them.
They have only been able to find the back of the net on a measly five occasions from seven top-flight outings, with a disappointing two goals from four matches during the month of September. The lack of clinical finishing from the team's leading line means Southampton sit 12th in the league table on eight points.
A victory over the weekend against Newcastle United could see the Saints leapfrog the Magpies into the top-half. Pellegrino was describing his views prior to Sunday's encounter in front of the media on Friday afternoon.
''It’s very important that we get a result against Newcastle''
Pellegrino is keen to see Southampton get the win this weekend and thinks recent performances are a promising sign of things to come for the south coast outfit.
Prior to the international break, the club came up against a stern Manchester United team on home turf, which ended one-nil to the travellers but the boss was then quick to state he thought his players deserved a point against the title challengers.
Meanwhile, a very physical and unbreakable Stoke City proved to be too much for the Saints as a 2-1 victory for the Potters meant Mauricio Pellegrino would go home empty handed.
Southampton face Rafa Benítez's Newcastle before playing West Bromwich Albion, Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley - a run of matches that supporters will be hoping sees their side earn maximum points.
Focusing on the visit of the Magpies this weekend, Pellegrino said "Perhaps we didn’t deserve to lose our last two games'', leading on to say ''It’s very important that we get a result''.
"I will always be grateful''
The Southampton boss meets an old friend as Newcastle visit Hampshire on Sunday having worked alongside Rafa Benítez during the early stages of his managerial career after retiring from playing football some eleven years ago.
In 2008, Pellegrino got the call to work with the Spaniard at Liverpool, a previous employer of the Saints manager during his playing days, and followed Benítez to Inter Milan before the two were dismissed at the San Siro in 2010.
Mauricio Pellegrino has since built up his own CV with jobs at clubs including Valencia and Deportivo Alavés. Although, it seems he is somewhat excited to meet with Rafa Benítez once again as well as face Newcastle United, but this time in the opposite dugout.
"I will always be grateful to Rafa Benítez for what he has done for me, both professionally and personally'', Pellegrino stated in regards to his relationship with the ex-Liverpool, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss.
''I think they will be ready, most of them."
Southampton management would have been fearing the worse when the news broke out earlier in the week of frontman Shane Long's hip injury whilst on international duty with Republic of Ireland. However, the boss has reaffirmed fans the 30 year-old should be amongst the matchday squad on Sunday,"He was training today 100 per cent, he is much better, and I think he will be ready."
The Saints had several players out with their countries during the break and Pellegrino confirms there are no fresh injury worries ahead of the visit of Newcastle; ''All of them more or less have had time to recover properly and I think they will be ready, most of them."