Aston Villa dominated for much of their clash with Burnley on Wednesday, only for the Clarets to snatch a 3-2 win, but Dean Smith is staying positive.
Two of the season's surprise packages meet on Saturday, as 10th-placed Villa travel to Southampton.
Both sides have struggled to maintain their form in recent weeks, with Villa winning just one of their last five Premier League matches, while Southampton have just one win in seven - albeit that came against defending champions Liverpool.
"We're closer to the top four than the bottom four. We've added quality and started the season well.