Saints have beaten five play-off sides in a row, and QPR in eighth is next

A bizarre run worth noting

BBC Radio Solent's Tom Murray pointed out on Sunday that Southampton have won their last five Championship matches against sides who began the day in the play-off places. Saints Marching built an automatic-promotion argument on it, and the West Ham win at the weekend is the freshest piece of evidence.

QPR are the next test, and they start the day inside the eight, which is exactly the kind of opponent the streak is about.

Julien Stephan's side have lost two of their 12 league games and drawn five. Hard to beat.

Their defence is joint-best in the division with Birmingham City and Southampton, each of them on 12 goals conceded.

Something has to give.

Who gives?

The hosts have an edge that does not need a statistician. Southampton have not lost at St Mary's this season, and the only dropped points were a goalless draw with Bolton Wanderers a fortnight ago.

Saints Marching reported that Kuryu Matsuki scored twice when these sides met at St Mary's last season, a 5-0 win. He has three league goals this term, including the second-minute opener at West Ham, and Eckert is on record tipping him for ten.

Those are the headlines, but the lengthening injury list is the bigger issue, because Eckert said Flynn Downes had needed another injection and that he was "quite positive" Downes and Cyle Larin would play against QPR, according to Hayters.

Larin leads the club with seven goals, and Lewis Dobbin scored his first in London. The team sheet will say which of those two starts up front.

QPR have their own questions. Their last six league results read draw, draw, draw, win, loss, win, oldest first, which looks like a side that sets up to stay in games. They also have Ronnie Edwards, a former Saint who has started every league game for them.

Saints Marching expect Matsuki to be the difference, and nothing in QPR's results suggests otherwise.

If Southampton win, the pattern strengthens, and the table looks healthier still.

They would move clear of the group of teams on 20 points, and Swansea's three-point lead would look catchable. A draw keeps the unbeaten home record alive. It leaves the play-off run where it is.

Fixtures like this one are what a manager wants in late October, with the table close and the home crowd behind the side.

It is a nice problem for Eckert. The claim exists because his side keeps beating better opposition, and QPR are another good side to go to work on.

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