BOSS Chris Hughton is gearing Albion up for the triple test at the Amex which he admits has "extra significance".

The Seagulls face fellow strugglers Southampton on Saturday.

Next month they entertain Cardiff and Newcastle.

The four teams are all within seven points of each other in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Albion, Southampton and Newcastle are in the scrap to stay clear of the relegation zone. Cardiff are fighting hard but Huddersfield and Fulham are doomed.

Hughton told The Argus: "We play at home to Southampton, to Cardiff and Newcastle, all teams around us.

"There is extra significance in those games, because if you don't win them they are certainly games you don't want to lose. So they do have extra significance.

"I think probably I would be lying if I said anything different."

Albion have won three away matches, one more than in the whole of last season, after beating arch rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in their last Premier League outing.

They still face trips to Chelsea, Wolves, Tottenham and Arsenal in an exhausting climax to the campaign which includes the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley a week on Saturday.

Hughton said: "With any milestone or anything we've improved on, you want to keep going. We've got some very tough games away from home.

"We have scored more set-play goals than last season. We've conceded less.

"There are so many areas you want to improve on. Hopefully we can stay in the division and if you offered me 40-odds points for next season and all of them at home I would take it."