Newcastle United have moved up to third following a 4-1 victory against Southampton. Yes, you read that right. Eddie Howe's side really are above Spurs, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the table.
If climbing into the top four was a statement a couple of weeks ago, after that superb win at Spurs, this latest result felt like another warning to the Premier League. Newcastle were nowhere near their best yet the visitors put the beleaguered Saints to the sword at St Mary's.
On an afternoon where Mohamed Elyounoussi and Che Adams spurned good opportunities for the hosts, Newcastle's ruthlessness in front of goal proved the difference as the Magpies scored four goals from four shots on target. Miguel Almiron got the ball rolling in the 35th minute with a fine individual goal and, for the second week running, Newcastle cut loose after the break. Substitute Chris Wood, who replaced the ill Callum Wilson at half-time, doubled the black-and-whites'' advantage in the 58th minute and, just four minutes later, Joe Willock added a third.
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Although Romain Perraud did pull one back for Southampton late on, there was no danger of Newcastle going into survival mode. Bruno Guimaraes duly restored the Magpies' three-goal advantage in the 91st minute to extinguish any hope of a grandstand finish.
No wonder Ralph Hasenhuttl looked like a broken man after the game. The Southampton boss, who is on the verge of the sack, could not help but pay tribute to Newcastle. "They have so much quality that they kill you," he said.
As well as having that quality, Newcastle are developing an elite mentality to go with it. It said it all that even after conceding, at 3-0 up, players and staff alike were furious, particularly defender Sven Botman, who threw his arms up in the air and jumped up and down on the spot after his side failed to keep a clean sheet.
"I think we were all angry," Howe told reporters. "Whenever you concede a goal, that has to be the reaction. Otherwise, it's a dangerous mentality to have if you accept that."
If ever a comment summed up the strides Newcastle have made under Howe ahead of the first anniversary of the Magpies head coach's appointment. A year ago, winless Newcastle could not keep a lead - let alone a clean sheet. In fact, exactly,12 months ago, Newcastle fans were chanting 'we're f----- s---!' at one point after Brighton passed the ball 46 times without interruption on the South Coast. In contrast, a year on, the away end were taunting: '' You're f------ s---!' at Southampton before breaking into another rendition of 'We're Newcastle and we're going to win the league!' You suspect they were only half-joking.
You have to go back to Sir Bobby Robson's spell in charge for the last time Newcastle were flying in third after at least 14 games of a campaign. Newcastle have a lot of work to do, of course, to match the achievements of Sir Bobby's blue-chip brigade, but the Premier League's form outfit have won six of their last seven matches and have only tasted defeat once all season.
With an ominous blend of steel and firepower, Man City manager Pep Guardiola again tipped Newcastle as a 'contender' and, in a way, this trip to St Mary's was another chance for Howe's side to show they were worthy of such a title. The best teams, after all, make such games almost feel like routine victories when they are anything but.
Given the form Newcastle were in, and Southampton's struggles at the bottom end of the table, it would have been easy for the visitors to get lulled into a false sense of security - but that won't happen as long as Howe is in charge. Southampton had previously taken points off Arsenal and Chelsea at home and Howe predicted it would be a 'really difficult' match. The Newcastle head coach said his players were going to have to be at the top of their game 'physically'.
With Joelinton suspended, Howe made just one change from the XI that hammered Aston Villa last time out as Jacob Murphy started the game on the left wing following an impressive cameo from the bench last time out. You suspect Howe wanted his side to pick up from where they left off that day and Wilson was inches away from connecting with Sean Longstaff's cross just five minutes in.
However, that proved one of the few half-chances in a scrappy contest in the opening half-hour in particular. Southampton, pressing intently, did not allow Newcastle to settle or spray the ball around and the Saints tested Nick Pope out in the 10th minute when the goalkeeper had to get down to push Romain Perraud's shot behind.
This uneventful game looked in need of a moment of magic and Almiron stepped up, once more, to put Newcastle in front in the 35th minute. It was the in-form Paraguay international who started the move by picking out Sean Longstaff down the right. Longstaff then looked to play a quick one-two with Wilson, but the latter was bundled over by Mohammed Salisu.
Referee Stuart Attwell played the advantage and Almiron seized on the loose pass, raced through and danced past the sliding Ainsley Maitland-Niles inside the box before sweeping home. It was Almiron's seventh goal in seven games and you can't put a price on a forward in this sort of form.
Just a few minutes later, after all, Elyounoussi fired over from six yards with the goal gaping after the Southampton forward was picked out at the back post. That miss proved costly. So, too, did Adams' after the break after the Saints striker volleyed wide in the 56th minute when he really should have at least hit the target.
Newcastle quickly made Southampton pay. The visitors may have lost Wilson at the break, but substitute Wood produced a finish from the top drawer in the 58th minute.
Wood had his back to goal when Murphy found his team-mate inside the area before the New Zealand international swivelled and fired the ball into the bottom corner to double his side's advantage. It was a knockout blow for Southampton and Newcastle were not finished yet.
There were 62 minutes on the clock when Trippier threaded a stunning ball through to Willock and the midfielder held his nerve to toe poke the ball past Bazunu to make it 3-0.
Perraud did pull one back, but that goal only seemed to anger Newcastle. There was certainly no danger of Newcastle retreating like they would have once upon a time and Bruno made it 4-1 just a couple of minutes later with an effort from distance as the ruthless Magpies put down another marker
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