IF EVER proof was needed that there's not a lot to choose to between the bottom and the top of the Premiership this season, then this game was it.

On one hand you had Leeds, bottom in the Premiership and facing an uncertain future off the pitch.

Then there was Saints. OK, still feeling the after-effects of Gordon Strachan's decision but upper mid-table, European football chasers - a steady, well run club.

Saints were at home and you would think, just looking at the facts on paper, it would be a comfortable victory for them.

Perhaps in years gone by the team in ninth would have beaten the team in 19th quite easily.

But such is the equality of the teams in the Premiership this season that it was always going to be hard to pick a winner.

By the end of the game, though Saints just deserved their win, it could have gone either way. You only had to look at the teams to see that Leeds have quality - arguably as much as Saints.

The likes of Paul Robinson, Jermaine Pennant, James Milner and Alan Smith could challenge for a place in virtually any Premiership side. But then Saints have quality coursing through their team, too.

So what separates a team like Leeds from a team like Saints? Part of the reason has to come down to the manager.

Having the right person at the helm of the club is absolutely vital.

You only have to look at the instability at Leeds caused by the bad appointments and the financial mess so much investment has got them into to pin-point the reason for their problems.

In Strachan, Saints have had the right man for the job. Maybe three years is the shelf life for many managers nowadays. Maybe he has taken the team as far as he can.

I don't know if either of those is correct, but what I do know is that Saints could be worse off without him than they would be if he stayed.

Whoever the new man is, you've just got to hope he does well.

Otherwise you fear that Saints could slip into their old routine of a new manager every year.

That means no stability for the players, a chopping and changing of players - it's just a disaster.

They won't go the same way as Leeds off the field because of the prudence of Rupert Lowe but on the pitch you can 'do a Leeds.'

By that I mean you still have great players that have achieved great things at the club and can play great football, but can still find yourself bottom.

Saints shouldn't need to worry about that this season after this timely win - their first in six games.

James Beattie was left on the bench for a rest.

That should do him the world of good. Carrying the goalscoring burden on his shoulders for the past two years takes its toll physically and mentally.

It speaks volumes for Saints' squad that they can afford to give him a rest before his confidence drops.

Last season Strachan said he would liked to have given him a rest, but there was no way he could.

This campaign he has far more striking options and in Kevin Phillips and Brett Ormerod he's found a pair that work well.

Ormerod was full of running, as usual, while Phillips is so good at holding up the ball and bringing others into play.

On this occasion they both provided a goal.

Ormerod opened the scoring on 36 minutes after being played through by the again superb David Prutton. One feature of the afternoon was Leeds' shambolic central defence and here it was Matthew Kilgallon who slipped and allowed Ormerod the room to fire home a great shot.

Phillips added the second two minutes before half time, pouncing on Zoumana Camara's terrible mis-control to slot low past Paul Robinson.

Before that Fitz Hall had headed against the bar and Robinson had saved well from Anders Svensson while Antti Niemi produced good stops from Eirik Bakke and Jermaine Pennant.

In the second period Saints came close when Rory Delap's header was cleared off the line and Ormerod hit the post, but they seemed to be cruising to victory.

But when Kilgallon flicked home Ian Harte's cross on 75 minutes, it ensured a nervy ending.

Michael Svensson hit his own post while there were numerous other goalmouth scrambles. But Phillips twice went close at the other end.

There wasn't much to choose between the sides but in the end it went to form, stability and a very good manager.