Southampton’s season can really be split into two halves, such is the turnaround that Ralph Hasenhuttl and his side have made over the last few months.
The beginning of season was one to forget but it should still be in the minds of those associated with the club, as there were many mistakes made and lessons to be learnt, and it can now act as a blueprint of what not to do.
Those first few weeks left the Saints in the relegation zone until the week before Christmas, and included the humiliating 9-0 home defeat to Leicester.
In fact it took until the 30th of November for Southampton to record their first home win of the season, a late comeback seeing off then bottom of the table Watford 2-1, with a customary Danny Ings goal and a magical free-kick from £16.2m-rated James Ward-Prowse.
That moment has proved decisive for the south coast outfit in their rise up the division, to the point where they are now seven points clear of safety.
They followed up the win against the Hornets with another three points when Norwich visited St Mary’s in the next match.
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That was part of a brilliant run in which Southampton lost just three matches in 13 games, creating a strong buffer zone that means they don’t have serious relegation worries despite losing four of their last five league matches.
In transfer news, the club is currently scouting a young striker plying his trade in Italy, but would he be a good addition?