GORDON STRACHAN was relaxed enough about Saints' chances at Anfield to spend about 15 minutes pre-match watching Manchester United wrap up victory against neighbours Manchester City from the comfort of the press room.

With complete accuracy, Strachan predicted the source of United's third.

An hour or so later, the Saints boss watched his Saints team produce a performance to over-shadow even the champions by beating Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.

Right throughout the team, this was among the best all-round Saints displays under Strachan.

Antti Niemi made crucial second-half saves; Jason Dodd produced a third-successive towering display at full-back; while Michael Svensson and especially Danny Higginbotham dealt heroically with the first-half loss of Claus Lundekvam to cope with Liverpool's mini-onslaught in the last 15 minutes.

Before that, Rory Delap, Paul Telfer, Chris Marsden and James Beattie had worked tirelessly to establish the base from which Saints were creating the best chances.

But just as last week against Charlton, a trio of players provided a crucial fresh impetus going forward that Saints had lacked somewhat earlier in the season.

Utilising Marian Pahars in midfield has proved a master-stroke and while the Latvian missed a golden opportunity on Saturday, his trickery and unpredictability is causing nightmares for the opposition as well as space for his team-mates.

Brett Ormerod's pace is doing the same up front and Saints now look far more dangerous on the counter-attack, as they proved in the opening two minutes at Anfield.

Crucially now, a balance seems to have been found in midfield with the emergence of David Prutton. A few weeks ago, Strachan challenged his midfielders to produce performances which made it impossible for them to be left out.

Prutton has risen to that challenge.

Opening goals are obviously important in any match, but particularly so for Saints right now.

They look far more dangerous when in front than when having to chase from behind, and have now won every match this season in which they have taken the lead.

Saints fought back at Leicester on the opening day and in the home leg against Steaua Bucharest, but otherwise have struggled to respond when the onus is on them to score.

For that reason, the cool nerve Ormerod displayed for his opener was absolutely crucial to the tone and the outcome of the match.

So what a wonderful 12 months it's been to be a Southampton fan.

There's been an FA Cup semi-final win, an FA Cup final, a UEFA Cup adventure, victories against Manchester United and Arsenal to savour, as well as demolitions of Tottenham home and away.

There's also been one derby win against Pompey, and at the moment who'd bet against another one on Sunday?

Saturday was certainly right up there with anything Saints have achieved under Strachan.

It wasn't the best Liverpool team, but winning at Anfield is nevertheless as special as it is rare - this is only the third Saints side to have won there for more than 40 years.

For a supposedly 'ordinary' team, Strachan's men are making a real habit of creating little golden moments in the club's history.