Hasenhuttl replaced Mark Hughes earlier this month and has had a transformative effect, with Saints heading into Christmas on the back of consecutive wins over Arsenal and Huddersfield.
Those two results have lifted the side out of the relegation zone and three points clear of the bottom three, allowing Saints fans to look up rather than down.
Hasenhuttl said: “They showed they learned now to defend. That’s the first step in the right direction. What you also saw is that we have quality when we win the ball.
“We scored three times against Arsenal and also three times against (Huddersfield), a team that is really good at defending normally with a good reverse gear.
Danny Ings scored twice for Saints in a 3-2 win over Arsenal as Hasenhuttl has led the club to back-to-back wins.
“When we work like we did until now, then we have a chance to stay (up). But if you stop now, we have 15 points now, and that wouldn’t be enough.”
Southampton now face a double bill at home, with West Ham the visitors on Thursday, when they will be without suspended midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, followed by Manchester City three days later.
“It is the next difficult challenge for us,” said Hasenhuttl. “To play two times at home helps us a lot. The opponents are really strong, West Ham and then Man City.
Next 🆙...
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) 25 December 2018
Take a look back at a selection of #SaintsFC strikes against #WHUFC ahead of the meeting at St Mary's! 😇 pic.twitter.com/hZzZmKwQK6
“I like to see this stadium again with a team that is now coming with two wins. What we know is we should be as passionate and concentrated, as uncompromising as the last two games. When we do so I think we have a big chance to take the win against West Ham, or Man City. Why not?”
Nathan Redmond has been a standout figure in the last two games, particularly against Huddersfield, where he scored his first goal of the season before setting up teenager Michael Obafemi for the third.
Hasenhuttl said of the winger: “I think before I came here he had one assist and no goal, and now in the last two games he has two assists and one goal. That’s what I expect from such a player because he has real quality.
“When he works like he did last two games then it’s not so surprising that he will score more because he deserves to. That’s what I talk to him always. First work for the team and then you will see that you get more chances.”
