Southampton, under Tonda Eckert, are unstoppable at the moment.
The Saints moved up to 4th place in the Championship table on Tuesday night, the highest placement they’ve been all season.
It means they climb within three points of second-placed Ipswich, who visit St Mary’s later this month.
Eckert has made a city that has been so disconnected from its football club in recent times start to believe that a Premier League return is no longer just a pipe dream.
A great night on the south coast
From a cheer going up inside St Mary’s in March, when Portsmouth had been beaten 6-1 by QPR, to one going up for a Pompey win against Saints’ promotion rivals Ipswich on Tuesday night, it was a moment that showed St Mary’s believed competing for the top two was possible.
Local rivals Portsmouth had done them the biggest of favours, beating Ipswich 2-0 at Fratton Park, but Saints boss Tonda Eckert failed to see the same side of the story, telling the BBC, "No, I think we have done them a big favour today. Strong south coast today, huh?"
Regardless of the Ipswich result, the Saints had to do their bit and beat a Blackburn side who had conceded just twice in the five games prior. They did it in fashion.
A quality-filled performance over the Rovers saw the Saints win their seventh consecutive game in all competitions, the first time since February 1981 that a Southampton side has achieved that feat.
From being given less than half a per cent chance in November of reaching the top two, to being given a 10% one by data site Opta following the Tuesday night results, Eckert’s side are truly upsetting the odds.
Relegation scrap to automatic contenders
Tonda Eckert stepped up as Southampton's first team manager in November, with the side in 21st place. Even in January, they remained 14th.
Now they’re in the mix amongst sides who have been in the hunt season-long. And it’s a credit to Tonda Eckert and the work he’s put in.
"The squad, at the moment, is in a place where you can put on who you want to put on, they are all ready to perform. I think that's a big plus for us at this part of the season," Eckert told the BBC.
"That's all it comes down to at this stage of the season. When you step on the grass you need to be ready to perform."
And the Saints certainly are. 18 games unbeaten, seven consecutive wins, and four cup finals remaining to try and pen their place into next season’s Premier League lineup.
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