Alex McCarthy hopes a run of clean sheets can help turn around his and Southampton’s fortunes.
McCarthy, 28, has displaced Fraser Forster as first-choice goalkeeper with two clean sheets in three matches.
But Saints are without a league win since November as they prepare to face out-of-form Watford on Saturday.
“As the games go by, the players are picking up confidence,” McCarthy told BBC Radio Solent. “We’re working hard to get ourselves out of this position.”
Patience has had to be a virtue for former QPR and Crystal Palace keeper McCarthy before making his first-team Premier League debut for Southampton.
A spell of injuries since his move to St Mary’s in August 2016 have limited his chances to cup competitions.
“The medical staff have been excellent here,” he revealed. "I’m also close to my family, which has help focus the mind and keep my head down.
“It’s frustrating being injured, but it’s such a reward when you get back out there playing.”
Having kept Manchester United at bay at Old Trafford last month, McCarthy kept a clean sheet against Fulham to help his team-mates to a welcome FA Cup third-round win.
The former Reading trainee is enjoying settling into the style of play under Mauricio Pellegrino.
“The manager wants us to be able to play out from the back, to be a sweeper-keeper, so you have to be good with your feet,” he said.
“I’ve been working hard on that over the past year and I’m happy with where I am at the moment.”
Everton are ready to make a £20million bid for Arsenal forward Theo Walcott.
Sam Allardyce is confident of beating competition from Southampton with Arsenal likely to sell during the January window.
It follows Walcott’s latest Arsenal snub after he was left on the bench for the Carabao Cup semi final.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger picked Alex Iwobi ahead of Walcott even after the 21-year-old broke club rules by partying ahead of the FA Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Wenger also called up Danny Welbeck to start ahead of Walcott which has made it clear where the 28-year-old now stands in the pecking order.
Walcott is keen to get more regular games and is prepared to move to help get his career back on track.
Southampton had appeared favourites to get him but Everton boss Allardyce is keen and they are hopeful of doing a deal with Arsenal - and matching his wages.
Walcott is on up to £140,000-a-week with bonuses after 12 years at Arsenal where he has scored 108 goals and played for England 47 times.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright also questioned Wenger’s decision to pick Iwobi after the midfielder was pictured in the early hours of Saturday, the day before an FA Cup tie.
Wright told Sky Sports: “In the current climate, for a young player to go out and do that with Arsenal going through what they’re going through now — experienced players wanting to leave, there’s no leadership — Arsene Wenger should have made a better stance on this. A stronger stance.
“Because Arsenal have got to find what we are losing at the moment. People laugh at us — they see it as a bit of a joke with what’s going on at the moment — players don’t want to be there. It just feels like we are losing control.
“What’s it saying to Theo? He’s got a youngster that’s gone out less than 48 hours before the game, still plays in that game, plays in this game and you can’t get a game in front of him. You’ve got to start thinking about your own future.”
Watford’s only home Premier League victory against Southampton came in their very first such meeting against them – winning 3-2 back in December 1999 (D1 L1 since).
Saints haven’t lost both league meetings against Watford in a season since the 2007-08 Championship campaign.
There have been 34 goals scored in the last eight meetings between these sides at Vicarage Road in all competitions (19 for Watford, 15 for Southampton), at an average of over four per game.
Watford have lost six of their last seven Premier League games, winning the other against Leicester.
The Hornets have dropped 16 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season – more than any other side.
Marco Silva’s side have won just 48% of their Premier League points in home games this season (12/25) – the lowest ration in the division.
Nathan Redmond has scored four goals and provided one assist in his five Premier League games against Watford – he’s scored more against the Hornets than he has any other opponent in the competition.
Abdoulaye Doucoure has scored in both of his Premier League games against Southampton, including his first ever goal in the competition in March 2017.