Nigel Pearson has told Saints they have set themselves a new benchmark with their terrific performance against Bristol City.

Saints absolutely crushed the Championship leaders and, though the final score was just 2-0, it could have been many more.

The display from the Saints team contained so many things they had been lacking in recent weeks.

A few more performances like that and Pearson's team will climb to safety.

He said: "We want the same again.

"That is a standard which we can't afford to drop from.

"We have been criticised for some of our performances of late and rightly so.

"There have been occasions where we've had missed opportunities and at this stage of the season you can't afford to miss them.

"We have four more opportunities to pick up maximum points and if we don't we have to live with that.

"But ultimately we have to do enough to save ourselves."

With results elsewhere going Saints' way, the three points against City looked even more impressive with the result lifting the team out of the relegation zone and up to 19th.

It is still a tricky run-in for Saints - but not only has the result relieved much-needed pressure, the performance has restored some much-needed belief.

"It's a short-lived relief because ultimately we have four more games which have the same importance as this one," said Pearson.

"We have to make sure we replicate that performance from now on.

"It's very difficult against a side with the quality of Bristol City because they have been at the top of the league for most of the season on merit.

"So to limit them to half chances and create so many ourselves was particularly pleasing.

"We have to ask why we've not done that too often.

"But I'm really delighted for the players who were magnificent to a man, went about it the right way and played without fear - which is very difficult at this stage of the season with so much at stake."

For the best Saints v Bristol City coverage, don't miss today's Daily Echo.