Sam Szmodics insists Blackburn Rovers' squad felt an emphatic win was around the corner as they look to build on their success at Sunderland against Southampton this weekend.

Rovers ended a 10-game wait for a Championship victory by beating the Black Cats 5-1 at The Stadium of Light on Easter Monday. Whilst results had been improved recently, that elusive win had not followed.

John Eustace's side had only scored four goals in six games prior to their trip North but, much like banging on a Ketchup bottle, they flowed in a dominant display.

Szmodics, who scored the crucial first two, revealed that Eustace had reiterated his confidence that they'd give a team a hiding because of their improved performances.

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"We scored five good goals at a tough place to come. We've been playing brilliantly and I think we have on and off all season," Szmodics told RoversTV.

"It's about the wins now. The performance doesn't matter, we needed to dig in. I thought we were unfortunate against Ipswich but then we've come to The Stadium of Light in front of 40,000 people and shown we can play some serious football.

"The gaffer has been saying behind closed doors that someone would get it soon. The results haven't come but we have been creating chances and playing with confidence.

"The goals against Ipswich didn't count. We made up for it at Sunderland at a tough venue. After we got the third goal it really calmed us down.

"The manager made it clear they would come out and really go for us. 2-0 isn't a comfortable scoreline but 3-0 probably still isn't in the Championship but it helps. Tyrhys then killed the game off.

"We then relaxed, we were well ahead and saw it through.

"To score five goals is massive for our confidence and we want to take it to the weekend. There are a few teams won around us, we're focused on ourselves.

"The win was massive, Sunderland aren't an easy team or crowd to play again. We want to take that to Southampton at Ewood, attack them and hopefully get a deserved win."

Szmodics took his tally up to 23 in the Championship and 29 in all competitions with a brace. He could've had a hat-trick but miscued a shot at the back post which dropped for Andrew Moran to tap in.

The 28-year-old's goal-scoring exploits have seen him nominated for the EFL's Player of the Season award. The obvious target for Szmodics is to hit 30 goals but he insists the focus and priority is ensuring Rovers stay in the Championship.

"The goals are a bonus for me. I've said it before, I'd take away some of them for three points," Eustace said.

"It's about getting in the right place, two good bits of play to create the goals. Someone has to be there to finish it, two more goals to the tally.

"When you play with confidence and you've scored a lot of goals, the ball does seem to find you. I had a left-foot finish today and I was unlucky not to get the hat-trick, it just hit me.

"I was absolutely going for goal, it just hit me! You could see I was gutted but it'll do Andy the world of good. He deserved the goal.

"It would be amazing to get to 30. I'd happily not score if it meant we win and stay in the league. The goals are a bonus, the points matter.

"I'd love to get to 30 but if I can't then it's still a good season."

Szmodics has enjoyed a fantastic few weeks, coupling his success on the field with Rovers alongside his first international caps for the Republic of Ireland.

He started both the recent friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland and now hopes to build on what he described as the 'proudest' moment of his career so far.

"Probably the proudest moment of my career to date," Szmodics said.

"My mum, wife, family, brothers were all out there. To start both games against Belgium and Switzerland was massive for me.

"I played well and I wanted to take that form back to Blackburn. Ipswich was a tough game and I thought we did well. Sunderland made it a great two weeks for me.

"It's something I always wanted to do but things haven't gone my way. After getting a sniff and two caps, I want as many as possible."