Suddenly, Southampton are well in the automatic promotion race in the Championship.
After confidently getting the better of West Ham United 3-2 at the London Stadium, Tonda Eckert's side are now only three points behind Swansea City, occupying that second automatic promotion spot, next to table-topping Middlesbrough.
The hope will be that this statement win spurs the Saints on to launch into those coveted positions, and there is one very impressive stat in the South Coast side's favour that suggests they could go the distance in securing promotion to the Premier League, without having to go via the playoff route.
The impressive stat in the Saints' favour
As per BBC Radio Solent's Tom Murray, Southampton have a knack of picking up results against the so-called bigger teams in the Championship.
Indeed, Murray took to X after the fantastic Hammers win to break down the Saints' record against the promotion-chasing few, with the South Coast outfit winning their last five games on the bounce when facing teams who have started the matchday inside the playoff spots.
Moreover, Eckert and Co. are unbeaten across their last nine matches when playing the teams inside the top six, or now the top eight, with the playoff format expanded.
Southampton showing again yesterday that under Tonda Eckert they turn up for the big matches
— Tom Murray (@T214Murray) October 25, 2026
They have won their last 5 matches against sides who started the day in the play off spots, are unbeaten in last 9 against top 6/8 sides and have won 7 of those matches #Saintsfc
To further praise the Saints, they've won seven of those clashes, with Southampton clearly loving a high profile game to flex their promotion credentials.
It stands Eckert's men in good stead to pick up another three points when Queens Park Rangers come to St. Mary's on Halloween, with the R's just inside those playoff positions at the time of writing, in eighth place.
Saints fans will just want this runaway train to keep chugging along nicely, as more and more victories are secured, but they can't get too overconfident, as there's a lot of football to still be played, and they need to put in a shift when they're not coming up against the likes of West Ham.
They'll need to guard against complacency
There will be a quiet confidence that a win will be secured against the R's, especially with the fact that the St. Mary's masses are yet to see a home defeat in the league so far this season.
Past this showdown with Julien Stephan's team, the expectant fanbase will also be hopeful for a win away at West Bromwich Albion, with Murray's stat on side, as the Baggies are currently sat in fifth spot in the enlarged playoff format.
While it's great picking up results against the best of the best, they will need to make sure they don't become complacent, when looking at the upcoming fixture schedule for November.
Southampton's next five Championship games:
Opponent | Current position |
|---|---|
QPR | 8th |
West Brom | 5th |
Preston | 24th |
Derby | 23rd |
Sheffield United | 12th |
It's grand beating the likes of West Ham, but if you then slip up to Preston North End - who are rock bottom of the division - it does sort of takes the gloss off that incredible Hammers win.
Eckert's men also play Derby County midway through November, which is another game they can't take for granted, as the Rams are currently near the bottom of the league, next to Graham Alexander's Lilywhites.
If everyone continues to sing off the same hymn sheet, an ascent up the league to challenge table-toppers Middlesbrough is very possible, with November ending with another West Ham style showdown, as the Saints travel to their Spygate nemesis, and promotion foe, right at the close of the bumper month.
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