RALPH Hasenhuttl has shown faith to Saints attacker Nathan Redmond through a struggle to contribute goals, insisting: “It’s always good to see the quality on the ball is definitely there.”

Redmond has in the past demonstrated he can provide moments worthy of a place in a Premier League side – but the problem on supporters’ lips is that those moments are becoming more and more fleeting.

Towards the end of the 2020-21 campaign, Redmond put in his best performance with a starring show against Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-final back in March, when he provided all three goals with a brace and an assist in the resounding 3-0 victory.

Daily Echo: Nathan Redmond was the match-winner at Vitality Stadium (Pic: PA)Nathan Redmond was the match-winner at Vitality Stadium (Pic: PA)

He followed that up the very next game with a match-winning effort to come from 2-0 down to claim a 3-2 victory against Burnley in the Premier League, laying one on for Danny Ings before dispatching the winner in the second-half.

But that was the last Premier League goal he scored for Saints. He has netted against League Two Newport County in the Carabao Cup this season, but the only other time he scored last season was at home to Sheffield United, who went on to be relegated.

The season before that (2019-20) it was four Premier League goals. Six the campaign before.

Some supporters are growing frustrated with Redmond's apparent hesitancy on the ball when he approaches the final third, allowing organised Premier League defences to negate the threat and force play to go backwards.

And Hasenhuttl has identified that, despite starting him in every game between the two international breaks, he isn’t offering the full package at present.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, the Saints boss said: “I think with Reddy it’s always good to see the quality on the ball is definitely there.

Daily Echo: Nathan Redmond started every game between the September and October international break (Pic: PA)Nathan Redmond started every game between the September and October international break (Pic: PA)

“He has definitely some threats, you can also see that the opponent goes on the back foot because when he goes one against one he is quick.

“What we are missing is his finish, his goalscoring part I think.

"He knows this.

“Finally, he has played a lot of games so far and didn’t score I think and this is what we are missing.”

Saints haven’t scored from open play in the Premier League since, ironically, Redmond’s best performance of the season so far – back at Newcastle where the substitute’s play helped create both goals.

Daily Echo: Nathan Redmond was influential from the bench against Newcastle (Pic: PA)Nathan Redmond was influential from the bench against Newcastle (Pic: PA)

Moi Elyounoussi bundled home a rebound to equalise initially from Redmond’s tantalising cross into the back-post, before Adam Armstrong won the penalty converted by James Ward-Prowse with the last kick of the game after running through on goal from a clever Redmond slip between defenders.

Hasenhuttl added: “This (an increased goal threat) is what we need, especially up front, he has played as a striker and played as a 10.

“We need from these positions more of a goal threat and that will help us massively if so.”