Hughes is stoked on Saints

MARK HUGHES will have no regrets in sending former club Stoke down if it means saving Southampton.

Hughes took over at Saints this week when Mauricio Pellegrino was given the chop after just one win in their past 17 Premier League games.

Given he was dealt the same hand as Pellegrino by Stoke in January, Hughes would not be worried about seeing them relegated.

Hughes said: “You have to take human emotions out of it a little bit at this stage. I was at Stoke a long time and you don’t want to see people you worked really closely struggling.

“But it is difficult and it is sport, you have to accept the consequences of not performing, not getting the results you want. You’re always in danger, that is the reality of what we do.”

Hughes has been appointed until the end of the season and has eight games to save Saints’ Premier League status.

After working with his new squad for the first time this week, he has been left thrilled by what have with he has seen. But, ahead of the Wigan tie, Hughes is not scared to kick his struggling players into form.

He said: “We had a meeting as an introduction to just give them an insight of what I expected in the coming weeks. We haven’t got a great amount of time to go around the edges and pussyfoot around.”

Hughes feels beating Wigan would be the perfect confidence boost. He said: “I’ve always used cup runs as a real positive. They can help if you’re struggling for a bit of form. That confidence can bleed into your league form.”