Ings: Arsenal performance "a huge step"

Saints’ next five games are all against teams currently in the bottom seven of the Premier League, starting with a crucial St Mary’s double-header against Watford and Norwich.

Only a stoppage-time equaliser for the hosts denied Saints victory at the Emirates Stadium, on a day in which the visitors created a host of chances.

“Any team coming to the Emirates and putting in a performance like that can take great confidence from it, especially us,” Ings said.

“It has been a tough few weeks for everybody, but hopefully we’ve shown today – to the fans and everybody at the club – that we’re fighting every day to improve and get better.

“That’s the first huge step for us moving forward. We’ve got some important games coming up now, so it’s important we take the confidence from this and refocus for the next few games, which are going to be huge.”

Ings struck his eighth goal of the season in the 2-2 draw in north London, latching on to Ryan Bertrand’s quickly-taken free-kick to break the deadlock early on.

“I feel good, but I don’t really want to talk about personal goals, I want to talk about the points we’re going to get in the next few games,” he continued.

“I’m hungry for that and we all are as a team. If I can keep scoring goals to help the team, I’ll be extremely happy.”

Saints’ top scorer also paid tribute to the travelling fans, who sold out the club’s 3,000 allocation, saying that support will be vital in the coming weeks.

“It means the world to us,” he added. “Coming to a stadium like this against a tough side, to hear our fans from start to finish is huge.

“It really does help – I think people underestimate how much that can help a team – and hopefully we repaid them and showed them we’re giving absolutely everything to turn these last few weeks around, and be positive moving forward.”