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Bertrand backs Hughes to keep Saints up

Cape Town - Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand is confident that newly appointed manager Mark Hughes is the right man to help the Saints avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Hughes replaced the sacked Mauricio Pellegrino and hit the ground running in the FA Cup over the weekend, helping the club clinch a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic in his first match in charge.

Southampton are third from bottom in the English top-flight after they were leapfrogged by Crystal Palace following their win over Huddersfield Town on Saturday, although Hughes' side have a game in hand.

The Welshman has eight games to save the club from relegation. 

Bertrand told Sky Sports: "I’m looking forward to playing the remainder of the season with him.

"He’s been there and done it. Even as a player, he is vastly experienced as well, and whatever he can share with us hopefully we can use and do what we need to do."

Former manager Pellegrino was sacked after a string of poor results that produced just one win in 17 games. But the former Chelsea defender was positive that the win over Wigan in the cup competition was the beginning of good things to come, with the experienced former Manchester City manager in charge of the team.

Bertrand added: "That’s what it’s about, just getting a win and taking confidence from that. We can take progressing in the competition into the league."

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