And following a 12-game league unbeaten run, which has seen Saints beat in-form sides Coventry, Norwich and Oxford United in the last three, who can blame them?
“We’re looking at fifth-place now. We’re not thinking that we need to stay in sixth,” Finn Azaz told the Daily Echo after his winning goal against Norwich last week.
“We’re looking at fifth, and looking at fourth. We’re looking at it and thinking, where can we finish? How high can we finish?”
Finn Azaz insisted Saints are determined to finish higher than sixth place. (Image: Stuart Martin)
READ: Saints star sets target higher than sixth after breaching play-offs
Saints got themselves into a good position before the current international break and currently sit ahead of Wrexham on goal difference.
Yet they could be playing catch-up again by the time they next step out for a league fixture, as Wrexham play before them once again.
An FA Cup quarter-final tie against Arsenal means Tonda Eckert’s charges do not return to Championship action until Tuesday, April 7, against the Welsh club.
A shot at promotion is far from wrapped up, but with time running out, it’s better to have it in hand. Lose to Wrexham and the race is blown open.
Win at the Racecourse Ground, and earn a home victory over Derby County four days later, though, and Saints won’t need to look over their shoulder as much.
@Coventry_City move nine points clear at the top and 11 clear of third!#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/XWACt97XWh
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) March 21, 2026
Fifth-place Hull City’s form is so patchy that wins in those fixtures could be enough to climb up a position, which would earn Saints a semi-final against fourth place.
Sergej Jakirovic’s side face relegation candidates Oxford United and champions-elect Coventry City over Easter Weekend. Both are tricky games.
The Tigers have only won four of their last 10 Championship games, most recently beating Sheffield Wednesday to prevent Saints from climbing above them.
Second-place Middlesbrough are also in a bit of trouble. With only two wins in their last eight, they could slip into the play-off places.
Saints are currently inside the play-off places on goal difference. (Image: Peter Tarry/PA)
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Kim Hellberg’s side are two points clear of Ipswich and Millwall, level on 69 after their 1-1 draw, and their run-in does not make for favourable viewing.
Boro play almost exclusively against sides with something to play for. An eight-point gap to second is probably too much for Saints, with others better placed to capitalise on a continual slump.
Saints do have the sort of momentum that can drive them further up the table, though. No team in the division will want to play them now or in the play-offs.
They must take full advantage of that form to earn a more favourable semi-final. Cut the six-point gap to third or fourth place and Saints will have done just that.
By finishing third, Saints will face sixth place, while the reward for a fourth-place finish is playing the second leg of the play-off semi-final at home.
Saints beat West Brom 3-1 at St Mary’s to book their place in the 2023/24 play-off final. (Image: PA)
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That proved a major advantage when they beat West Brom 3-1 in 2023/24. The atmosphere at St Mary’s on that night is still being talked about.
But can Saints realistically achieve a six-point swing to finish third or fourth? Beat Ipswich on April 28, and they are halfway there, providing their foot remains on the gas.
What could harm Saints is the sheer number of games they have to play. Ipswich are in a similar boat, though, with a rearranged game against Portsmouth on the horizon.
Saints must cram eight games into the final month of the Championship season, and beating Arsenal in the FA Cup will only make things harder.
Supporters and players can take comfort in knowing that five of those games will be played on home soil. Less travel is a welcome boost.
Southampton’s home form is also exceptional. They sit third in the home form table, and have kept clean sheets in five of their last six games at St Mary’s.
With that in mind, it would be unwise to think their form will dip after an international break that has temporarily stumped momentum but will allow rest.
Given their form, Saints would probably be disappointed with a sixth-place finish at this stage. Fifth-place Hull City are well within their reach.
Statistically speaking, they will want to finish higher than sixth, too. None of the past 10 play-off finals have been won by teams from that position.