IN-FORM Saints striker Graziano Pelle has won praise from the man he replaced in the Italian national side, Mario Balotelli.

Pelle’s great form since his £8m arrival from Feyenoord in the summer has won him his first senior international call-up.

And the 29-year-old celebrated in style by scoring the only goal on his debut in Monday’s Euro 2016 qualifying win at ten-man Malta.

Pelle’s burst of four goals in his first six Premier League games of the season saw him named in Antonio Conte’s squad at the expense of the high profile Balotelli.

The Liverpool forward was quick to congratulate Pelle, though.

On his Instagram page he posted the message ‘Well done Italy! Very well done Pelle, keep it up!’ Balotelli, who cost Liverpool twice what Saints paid for Pelle, has yet to score in five Premier League appearances for the Reds in 2014/15.

Indeed, he was dropped from the starting line-up for ex-Saint Rickie Lambert when Liverpool beat West Bromwich Albion on October 4.

Remarkably, and in total contrast to Pelle’s Saints form, Balotelli has almost forgotten what it’s like to score in the Premier League.

He has only netted ONCE in his last 21 English league games for Manchester City and Liverpool, a run stretching back to end of the 2011/12 season.

Pelle might have been Italy’s match winner in Malta – but he still believes he could have done more to help his country.

He ended a long wait for his senior international debut in the Euro 2016 qualifier away to Malta, with his 23rd-minute strike settling the contest.

Yet, while it might have been a dream debut for Pelle – who had represented his country at under-21 level – he refused to bask in the glory of it.

“I’m happy to be able to play for the national team, even at the age of 29,” he said.

“Scoring goals is the most important thing for a striker, but I feel I could have done a lot more.”

It was not a simple night for the Azzurri in Ta’ Qali, as they endured a tougher encounter than expected, with both sides ending the match with ten men.

Pelle proved to be Italy’s most significant threat, though, crashing a header onto the underside of the bar not long before scrambling home a loose ball from a corner.

“I linked up well with Ciro Immobile and we were a bit unlucky in front of goal,” he said.

“We’ve been working hard with (Italy coach) Antonio Conte, but we know that we can do a lot better than that.”

The result meant that Italy continued their 100 per cent start to qualification, having secured three wins from three.

Conte’s men only trail Croatia in Group H by virtue of goal difference, with the two countries due to meet in Milan next month.

Pelle now has six goals this season, with a first strike for his country adding to his five efforts for Saints following his summer move from Feyenoord.

Only four players have scored more Premier League goals than Pelle in 2014/15.

Chelsea’s £32m Diego Costa Chelsea has nine goals while Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester), Saido Berahino (West Bromwich Albion) and Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) all have five goals.