Saints closed to within two points of the top six as they defeated relegation threatened Newcastle 3-1 at St Mary’s.

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Ronald Koeman’s side were in total control for the vast majority of the game and deservedly sealed victory via goals from Shane Long, Graziano Pelle and Victor Wanyama.

There was also a first appearance since October for Jay Rodriguez as he returned from injury.

The victory, a third in the last four for Saints, moved them two points behind sixth placed West Ham and within touching distance of the European places with five games of the season remaining.

Saints started on the front foot and had a chance to take the lead after just two minutes.

Ryan Bertrand’s delicately chipped right wing corner found Virgil van Dijk just inside the area and he looped a header into the six yard box.

Graziano Pelle was there to meet it with a header of his own but could only guide it into the arms of Karl Darlow.

They didn’t have to wait long for the first goal however as the Newcastle defence crumbled in dramatic fashion two minutes later.

Shane Long got the ball off of Pelle in central position 25 yards from goal and simply waltzed through the middle of the Magpies’ backline with ludicrous ease before opening up his body and finishing low and left footed past Darlow.

Up the other end, Jose Fonte was strong to block a rare Newcastle shot from Ayoze Perez.

Saints were in complete and utter control of the game.

Koeman’s attacking gamble was paying off with the four forward minded players of Pelle, Long, Sadio Mane and Dusan Tadic pushed right on a Magpies defence that looked ready to fold at any moment, and which had very little protection from those in front of them.

The chance of a counter attack was the only danger to Saints, but rarely seemed a pressing threat.

Instead, the key was to turn their domination into a second goal just to give themselves a cushion.

Mane had a volley blocked while Jordy Clasie’s inswinging free kick evaded everybody and came close to sneaking in at the far post.

Pelle produced a simply stunning flicked header from just inside his own half, after great defensive work and a big clearance from Cuco Martina, to set Long on his way on 35 minutes but the frontman tried to square rather than shoot and it was cut out.

Moments later Pelle was trying his luck with a header at goal from ten yards out but couldn’t steer it on target.

Saints eventually got their second goal on 38 minutes with the help of a great finish and more truly embarrassing defending from Newcastle.

Daryl Janmaat slipped over when he should have intercepted a Mane pass and Saints were away down the left.

Tadic broke forward and found Long, whose lay off fell to Pelle with the big striker brilliantly sweeping home a finish into the bottom corner from ten yards out.

That was the last action for Janmaat who was too injured to continue after the slip and he was replaced by Siem De Jong.

Newcastle made a defensive change at half time with Jamaal Lascelles coming on for Steven Taylor.

The Magpies had a shot at goal just after the restart as Fraser Forster’s miscued clearance fell to Moussa Sissoko but from 40 yards out he fired wide.

Normal service was resumed on 55 minutes though as Saints scored again.

Newcastle allowed Saints to take a short corner and Mane went outside Georginio Wijnaldum to get to the left by-line as if the Magpies man wasn’t there.

Mane cut back to Jose Fonte who was in acres of space. His low shot was saved by the legs of Darlow and came out to Victor Wanyama, also in acres of space, and his low drive beat the keeper via a slight deflection off of Lascelles.

Forster actually had a couple of saves to make as he kept out a low drive form the edge of the area by Perez and turned wide a 25 yard drive by Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Saints made a first change on the hour mark as James Ward-Prowse replaced Long.

Amazingly, Newcastle did conjure themselves a goal out of nothing on 65 minutes.

Andros Townsend collected the ball on the right and was allowed to cut across the face of the area before unleashing a stunning left footed shot that whistled into the top corner, leaving Forster with no chance.

Rafa Benitez sensed one last chance to make something happen and brought on Papiss Cisse for Perez.

Mane had the chance to settle the game on 75 minutes as Pelle played him in.

The Saints man was forced to check back onto his left foot just inside the area and opted to shoot rather than square the ball to Ward-Prowse but missed the target.

Koeman decided to try and shore things up and make sure of the three points by bringing on Oriol Romeu for Clasie.

Newcastle suddenly seemed to fancy the task a bit more but the trouble was creating chances. Townsend whipped in a free kick that threatened but went behind off of De Jong.

St Mary’s stood to a man in applause with six minutes remaining when Rodriguez was brought off the bench for his first game since October in place of Tadic.

Romeu had a late chance to add another with a stooping header from Pelle’s cut back but Saints had already done enough damage and edged closer to European football.