Pellegrino: I knew it would be difficult, but one point is a positive

Matt Stead

Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino is taking the positives as his side came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Newcastle.

Saints looked to be staring down the barrel of a third straight league defeat when Isaac Hayden and Ayoze Perez put Newcastle ahead in each half at St Mary’s Stadium.

But both times Gabbiadini hit back, his second goal coming from the penalty spot after Newcastle’s Florian Lejeune had brought down Shane Long.

Gabbiadini was making his first start in more than a month and Pellegrino will hope his brace prompts a return to the sort of form that saw the Italian score six goals in his first four games for Southampton last season.

“The reaction was good at the end, our best 20 minutes. In defence we were good and compact. At the same time we couldn’t control too much the second goal.

“We knew it would be difficult to penetrate them. You have to be balanced and move them. Maybe with two strikers we had to deliver a little bit earlier.

“In the Premier League, most of the teams have the quality to score and we can’t concede these sorts of goals.

“The fans were behind us, pushing our team, at the end we had our best moment. We never controlled the game totally.

“I knew it would be difficult, but one point is a positive.”