Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is delighted see Pascal Gross succeed with Brighton.
The pair worked together during Hasenhuttl's days as a manager of FC Ingolstadt between 2013 and 2016.
Ahead of tonight's derby, Hasenhuttl said: "We don't have much contact but I definitely follow what he does and I am happy he is playing again in a new position, sometimes in the six now.
"He was a most important player for me when I was in Ingolstadt.
"He was part of the successful story we had there and really I was happy at seeing his progress and his development, and the way he went here. He was a fantastic one, a successful one and a very long part of the Premier League.
"When he was in the second league with me nobody would think he could do this, but he is a role model of what you can reach if you really want to.
"He is mentally a really strong player. I liked to work with him, we had a very successful time together, and sometimes I think back and enjoy what we did there."
