Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino appreciated the praise from Tottenham counterpart Andre Villas-Boas last week.

AVB hailed Southampton as "outstanding' after last weekend's narrow 1-0 win over Pochettino's relegation battlers.

Saints, without a win from their last four games, take on Sunderland today with survival at stake.

Pochettino said: "It is always nice to hear that from other managers, especially when they do not even need to say it.

"Andre said in the tunnel our team had our own identity. That pleases me.

"After Andre's words I am 100 per cent confident we will stay up."