Petrescu netted the winner in the clash with Leicester - his first goal for the club.

Hoddle said: "Dan has a spring in his step at the moment. Ever since he came here his attitude has been excellent and is a good role model for our younger players.

"He has been a terrific signing for us already when you consider that he cost us nothing.

"If we had signed him last summer before Bradford got him ahead of us we would have had to pay £800,000 so we have done well out of it."

Petrescu has a thigh injury but Hoddle believes he will be fit enough to take up the position at right wing-back.

Hoddle is challenging his players to worsen Bradford's plight with the win which would give Saints their first League double of the season.

"We have got to be more ruthless if we are going to translate possession into goals and points," said Hoddle.

"I saw Bradford at Arsenal and they get plenty of men behind the ball, and they will be thinking they can soak up our pressure and get a goal or two on the break.

"There is no way we would underestimate Bradford because they are hard to beat. They will fancy their chances of a point and are fighting for their lives - it does not get much more difficult than that for us."

Bradford-born defender Dean Richards would love to see his home city club reach Premiership safety .

Richards said: "It would be sad to see them go down but I understand they have a structure in place to come straight back up.

"My priority is Southampton and from my days at Bradford only Wayne Jacobs remains. The club has moved on and so have I."