MOUSSA Djenepo insists Saints will remain "positive" despite their recent struggles, adding how they are "in the same boat as every team" battling to avoid relegation.

Goals from Lewis Dunk and Leandro Trossard rendered Che Adams's volley insignificant at St Mary's on Sunday as Brighton & Hove Albion clinched a priceless 2-1 victory.

Albion remain below Saints in the table, but have now eased their own relegation fears following a previous run of five Premier League games without victory.

For Saints, the loss to Graham Potter's men was the 10th time they have suffered defeat in their past 12 top-flight matches.

Having sat comfortably in the top half of the table earlier in the campaign, Saints are now 14th, just seven points clear of the relegation zone with nine games to play.

Asked how concerned the players are about the possibility of being dragged into a battle to avoid the drop, Djenepo told the Daily Echo: "We are in the same boat as every team.

"But there is no time to try to (focus) on bad things. We stay positive to try to go together."

Djenepo was one of five players who started the spirited midweek loss at Manchester City to drop to the bench for Sunday's visit of Brighton.

The Malian was introduced with 22 minutes to play with Saints already 2-1 down against the Seagulls as the hosts altered shape in a bid to rescue the contest.

"We changed to a back five, bringing the two wingers a little bit higher so that we could stress them from the side," explained boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.

"In the centre it was very tough, they were very compact and coming behind the last line.

"But the delivery of the balls was not good, the positioning in the box was not good and it was too slow when we changed the side and the balls in behind not often enough.

"We had one good ball where Prowsey (James Ward-Prowse) had a big moment where he could lay up and then there was nobody in the centre who follows. This was maybe the best chance in the end, this was the plan, but it didn’t work."

Asked what his instructions were when coming off the bench, Djenepo said: "My job was to come on and to try to help the team.

"I was happy to come on, but the most important thing I think is the team. We lost and now we have to win as team-mates."

In a separate interview with the Saints website, the 22-year-old added: "It’s difficult for everybody. But we never give up. Head up and we go again.

"I don’t think there was much difference (between themselves and Brighton), but it’s the Premier League and every game in the Premier League is a tough game, it is not easy.

"But football is football. Sometimes you play very well and lose, sometimes we play very bad and win. But we will keep our good mentality to go again."