SAINTS are still left nervously looking over their shoulders in the battle to avoid relegation after a disappointing home loss against Brighton.
The Seagulls had never won in seven previous top-flight meetings with Saints, but they took an early lead through Lewis Dunk.
Che Adams levelled for the hosts, but Leandro Trossard’s winner at the start of the second half proved enough to secure a 2-1 victory.
The defeat is Saints’ 10th in their past 12 Premier League matches and leaves them 14th in the table, seven points clear of the bottom three with nine games to play.
Ralph Hasenhuttl made five alterations from the midweek loss at Manchester City, reverting largely to the side which beat Sheffield United. In came Fraser Forster, Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo, Takumi Minamino and Nathan Tella from the start.