And Graham Potter thought losing 5-0 at home was bad!

Albion’s head coach aims to secure three points tonight against a team who were humbled 9-0 on their own patch early this season.

The way Southampton have responded to that night of humiliation against Leicester City has defined their season under Ralph Hasenhuttl rather than the result itself.

That is a big reason why Potter admires what has gone on at one of his old clubs.

Not least the work of Hasenhuttl and the men who employ him.

Last time out at home, Southampton won 1-0 at home to a Manchester City side who then scored five without reply at the Amex.

(City had as many goal attempts at St Mary’s as they did against the Seagulls - 26).

Saints also won the return fixture against Leicester and, since that 9-0 rout, have only taken two fewer league points than the Foxes.

If you learn from your toughest days, then Potter’s experiences against City will have given him just an inkling of what his Austrian counterpart went through and has achieved since.

The Seagulls boss said: “I think we all know that result is a damaging one and I’m sure Ralph would say the same.

“That’s why I’ve got a lot of respect (for the Southampton board for sticking with him).

“In football we only like the coaches that win.

“But I admire Ralph and I admire the fact that he is able to get off the floor, which I’m sure he was on at that point, and get his team playing like it is.

“I would put him up there as one of the top three performers in the league in terms of coaching performance.

“That’s how highly I think of him and rate what they have done.”

Southampton have changed a lot since Potter’s playing days there.

Matt Le Tissier was Le God in that part of Hampshire back then.

Maybe he still is - but Danny Ings is king.

“I think it would be fair to say I’m not sure Matt would have been able to press as well as Danny does,” Potter replied when asked for a comparison between the two.

“I’m sure he would say the same.

“I think it’s unfair to compare. Danny has been amazing with what he has done and how he contributes to the team with the goals and how he helps their team idea. I think it’s fantastic.

“Matt was one of the factors that kept that club in the Premier League. It was The Dell and him.

“Some of the stuff he could do, you would be scratching your head.

“He wasn’t the most athletic player in the world but had quality on the ball and vision and ability to execute all sorts of passes and finishes.

“Both have really contributed to what the team has achieved.”

A late Michael Obafemi goal gave Southampton a 2-2 draw at Manchester United on Monday.

It is a quick turnaround and fatigue will be the main concern.

There are no fresh injuries, with Jan Valery (muscle), Moussa Djenepo (calf) and Sofiane Boufal (thigh) still missing.

“No injury news, no new ones,” Hasenhuttl said at his press conference yesterday.

“A few tired players now, this is the bigger issue.

“It is a very short time to recover. We had a very intense game, we ran much more than the opponent.”

Albion go into the match on a run away from home of five games unbeaten and three clean sheets.

But Potter will not dwell on that.

He said: “It’s the nature of football that you are always 90 minutes away from a crisis.

“You don’t want to accept the fact the opposition are better but Manchester City and Liverpool, they just are.

“You can beat them and you have to be confident. But, at the same time, the points they have accumulated over the past three years, they are a level above most teams in the Premier League.

“We need to have perspective but, at the same time, be annoyed because we can be better than what we have been and try to improve at Southampton.”