Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap admits that his side cannot afford to slip up against Nottingham Forest.

The Saints are locked into the relegation fight at the bottom of the Premier League table.

As they prepare to take on fellow strugglers Forest, 20-year-old German international Bella-Kotchap says they must focus on every aspect of their game to get a result.

“When we play good as a team and always stick together we can win this game, it is a huge one for us and we have to invest a lot more, defend properly and get points from it," Bellap-Kotchap said, per the Daily Echo.

“It is disappointing to concede two goals from set-pieces and this cannot happen, the Premier League is tough and every team has the quality to bounce back. Unfortunately we didn't get the points that we wanted and this is disappointing.

"I think we defended well for the whole game but we have to be more clinical and serious when we defend our box, this is frustrating that we have not got at least one point but we have to continue."

On their survival chances, he added: “I believe in my squad, I am not with my head down and hopefully we will get this. I'm sure we can."