BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl insisted “tight games are not on our side” as Saints slipped to another defeat in 2021.

The St Mary’s outfit fell to a 2-0 loss against last season’s Premier League champions Liverpool at Anfield, thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and Thiago.

It was Saints’ 13th defeat in 17 league games since beating the Reds at St Mary’s back in January.

Hasenhuttl said: “We do what we can to be competitive in the second half of the season.

“These tight games are not on our side. This is a fact.

“When you want to win here you must have the perfect game – this we didn’t have.

“We don’t know if this is the maximum we can do at the moment but when I see the young players like Nathan Tella, he was always a threat and did a good job.

“We have to take the last four games for getting a few more points and then we are quite safe.”

Saints know just one more victory in their final four contests would guarantee top-flight safety.

They host Crystal Palace on Tuesday (8.15pm) before Saturday’s clash with Fulham at St Mary’s.