Graziano Pelle insists that setting a new Premier League points record is not enough – declaring the Saints squad want to give the supporters something truly special at the end of the season.

Last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Spurs took Ronald Koeman’s side to 57 points, ensuring this has been the club’s best ever campaign since the current top-flight came into existence in 1992.

But they are still not guaranteed a spot in next season’s Europa League, requiring a top-six finish to nail that down – or, if they finish seventh, being left to hope that Arsenal can beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup final.

Pelle is adamant that he and his teammates are not simply satisfied with having set a new Premier League record, and that they are determined to earn themselves a spot in Europe.

“For us, we want to make something special,” he said.

“As points, we went already on top of the last year – it’s a new record for Southampton – but for us it’s not enough.

“It’s not just about being better than what we did last year.

“It’s something for which the supporters [will be] really happy, not easy to forget and will stay always in the memory. We have to try to fight until the very end.

“There are still four games, 12 points.”

The first of those remaining four games is this Saturday at Sunderland, who Saints unforgettably demolished 8-0 at St Mary’s earlier this season.

Pelle, who scored twice in that game, will not be taking the relegation battlers lightly, though.

“Of course, in the moment, it was amazing for us, not the best for them, but it’s football, and in football every match has a different story,” he said.

“We know we won’t go there with the thought that we are going to win easy, but we know that we want to do our best to try to win.

“It’s not about if we do it with too many goals, it’s important to win for us.

“They have a good team and we have to respect them. It’s going to be important for us.”

While Sunderland would no doubt like to gain revenge for the humiliation they suffered at St Mary’s, Pelle believes they require no more motivation beyond their third bottom league position.

“For them, this moment, it’s important for them to win,” he said.

“They are fighting for the relegation – they have a lot of motivation.”

Italian international Pelle continued his impressive recent form last weekend, scoring both of his side’s goals against Spurs, in what was an immense individual display.

And he is confident of keeping up his performance level in the final four games of the campaign.

“I’m happy, I’m happy to find back the right condition and I have to say again thanks to my teammates, because they give me a chance always to try to perform good and to the supporters in general – they always keep singing my name – and to the trainer that always has the confidence in me,” he said.

“Altogether, I’m really happy how it’s going."