Adam Armstrong produced an attacking masterclass as Southampton dispatched Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 to equal their longest English Football League unbeaten record.
Top scorer Armstrong scored one and set up Che Adams, Ryan Fraser and Sekou Mara as Saints leapt into the top two for the first time since the opening day and closed the gap to table-toppers Leicester to 10 points.
Saints are now unbeaten in 19 league games and 20 in all competitions, which is their best run since becoming a Football League club in 1920.
The club’s all-time record, the only better than the current run, of 24 in 1896 and 1897 came when they were known as Southampton St Mary’s and had yet to move to the Dell.
The hosts would enjoy the better of the first half but the first two minutes belonged to Wednesday.
First, Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu took a heavy touch and was mugged by Josh Windass, but the attacker could not squeeze in.
From the corner, Michael Ihiekwe headed wide – but the visitors would not have another first-half shot as Saints monopolised the possession.
Centre-back Ihiekwe had to think fast to run back onto his own goal line after Fraser had volleyed into the ground and over goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed a corner over but otherwise, it was a test in patience until Adams opened the scoring in the 35th minute.
Adams, who is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a Premier League move this month, latched onto an Armstrong cross via a Bambo Diaby error, beat a defender and lashed into the bottom corner.
It was the Scotland international’s eighth goal of the season, and Armstrong’s 10th assist.
Wednesday brought on Ashley Fletcher and Will Vaulks at the break and rallied when the former pinged a low effort towards the bottom corner, with Bazunu flinging himself to his right to save.
In the 63rd minute, Saints gave themselves daylight with a smart counter which saw Adams nick the ball off Diaby and slot through to Stuart Armstrong. He found Adam Armstrong in acres of space to notch for the 14th time this campaign.
Bazunu battered away a Windass free-kick before Di’Shon Bernard cleared Adam Armstrong’s attempt off the line as the game became open.
Fraser continued from the two goals he scored against Walsall in the FA Cup by adding a third in the 75th minute.
The Newcastle loanee steered in but Adam Armstrong’s burst, stepovers and vision to pick out Fraser across the box was the catalyst for the goal.
Armstrong was at it again with five minutes to go when he squared for substitute Mara to tap in to make it nine straight St Mary’s wins.
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