Roy Hodgson praised match-winner Cucho Hernandez after his brace gave Watford a much-needed victory away at Southampton and said he hopes that between now and the end of the season, he can help the striker develop as a player.

The Colombian's first half strikes were enough to earn three points on the South Coast, as the Hornets drew level on points with 17th place Everton, with nine games of the season remaining.

While Hodgson is not expected to stay in charge at Vicarage Road beyond the end of the current campaign, the former England boss said he would be hoping to improve his ability and understanding of the game.

"His attitude was good, his work rate was good...he runs throughout the game and doesn't stop," said Hodgson. "I think that for us, in the time that we have left at the club, we're going to keep working on his understanding and what we expect positionally from him. But I think that's normal and I think he wants that.

"Every moment we can get to work with him and discuss when we've lost the ball, we'd like you in these positions and when we've won the ball, we'd like you in these positions, that's a benefit.

"The one thing he obviously does know how to do, he knows how to score when a chance comes his way - that goal against Arsenal and the second goal today were great goals. And the first goal, that's the guts, determination, resilience and desire, that I am afraid I talk about far too often."

While Hernandez's goals divided the two sides at full time, Hodgson praised his whole team's resilience to see the game out, after their lead was halved shortly before the break.

The Hornets remained strong under pressure and saw the game out, much to their manager's delight.

"I thought that the the attitude of the players and their obvious desire to play well and win this game at the death, I thought that was there for all to see," he said. "I thought the three front players, who we've been berating to try and get a little bit more work from, a little bit more pressing, a bit more understanding of their positional play, I thought that was a very positive aspect of our play.

"I suppose finally the thing that really pleased me was the fact that, after conceding that goal right in injury time at the end of the first half and not having the the cushion at half time, that goal coming could really have dented our confidence and could have really dented our belief. It certainly didn't because win out in the second half and continued where we left off.

"Resilience is an important factor in Premier League football. It doesn't matter whether you're at the bottom or if you're fighting for a place in the Champions League, you have to have that resilience to stay in the game to deal with the corner kicks and the free kicks that might be coming your way, to deal with all the things that happen in the game of football that you don't want to see happen to you. But they do and you've got to have the resilience to come through."