To knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup was fantastic – that night will be remembered as one of our best at St Mary’s – and to follow it up with a win at Wrexham is incredible.
Both results were hugely impressive, albeit in very different ways. A lot of people framed the Arsenal win as a shock, and I understand why; they are top of the Premier League.
But if I’m being honest, I didn’t quite see it that way. Yes, they were missing a few players, but they’re still Arsenal – competing where they are for a reason.
Their squad was still full of quality and they could not hide behind the excuse of rotation. Saints fully deserved the result.
It was thrilling, compelling, and a reminder of what this club is capable of, and a proper cup tie under the lights at St Mary’s.
The challenge then was to go to Wrexham and back that performance up – and we did that emphatically, thumping them 5-1 to surge back into the play-off places.
It’s actually quite hard to split the two performances because they were excellent. Beating a side like Arsenal is always special, particularly given the form they’re in this season.
But against Wrexham, a promotion rival, it was about control, dominance, and making a statement. What impressed me most was the mentality.
At 3-1 up, it would have been easy to ease off, manage the game, and see it out. Instead, the players kept going and ended up putting five past them.
It sent a message to the rest of the division. There won’t be many teams relishing the prospect of facing Southampton right now.
That said, there’s still a huge amount of work to be done. The one thing Saints must guard against is complacency. I don’t see that happening under Tonda Eckert.
I don’t see it from this group of players either. The focus has to be on maintaining this unbeaten run for as long as possible.
There’s also healthy competition building within the squad, which is exactly what you want at this stage of the season, especially with an FA Cup semi-final on the horizon against Manchester City.
Players will know they need to perform to earn a starting place, and that can only benefit the team. Another big positive for me is the spread of goals.
To have five different scorers at Wrexham tells you everything about this side. We’re not reliant on one individual. Goals can come from anywhere, which makes us dangerous.
When you compare this run to the 23-match unbeaten spell under Russell Martin, there are similarities and key differences.
What makes this run particularly impressive is the context. Eckert has come in without prior experience at this level and found ways to win games by adapting, rotating, and getting consistent impact from the squad.
That flexibility, combined with the belief in the group, is proving vital. So, can Saints push for the automatic promotion places? Why not?
In football, anything is possible. Teams above will be looking over their shoulders at Southampton, that’s for sure. But it all counts for nothing if you don’t keep delivering.
As Cyle Larin pointed out, that starts with the next game against Derby. Nobody at the club – players, staff or supporters – can afford to rest on their laurels.
Everyone has a part to play in what could still become a very special season. An FA Cup final? Promotion back to the Premier League? Both are within reach.
But it’s going to take continued focus, effort and consistency to get there.
On the evidence of this 16-match unbeaten run, though, you wouldn’t bet against this group giving it everything to make it happen.