MARIAN PAHARS is one of life's quiet, and unassuming souls off the football pitch.

He is reluctant to face the limelight and, in fact, pre-match on Thursday, he had to be persuaded big-time to give a press interview.

When he does speak, Pahars is economical and precise with his words, his voice betraying any emotion, the volume barely above a whisper.

"Every game is big," he had mumbled at the Staplewood training ground.

"We are in the bottom four and we want to be up to mid-table as quick as possible."

But, once he's on the field, the Latvian maestro certainly lets his boots do the talking - the energy of the guy is unbounded.

Put a pedometer on Pahars, and it's a fair bet he's covering more than seven miles a game, running at defenders, creating space for team-mates, offering support, and back-tracking to help out the defence.

"Pahars had a great game," saluted Sunderland chief Peter Reid.

"He created a lot of chances and he wanted it more."

What was not the greatest game of the season from a pure footballing point of view will be best remembered for Southampton's second goal after 67 minutes, and Pahars' audacious finish.

Anders Svensson put him in, and it was a straight race between the Saints striker and Darren Williams.

Pahars was forced out slightly wide to the left, and with not the greatest of angles for a sight on goal.

But, controlling the ball once with his head, Pahars didn't even break stride to crash home a thundering shot off the crossbar and into the net, beating a stunned Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen for sheer pace and nerve.

Goal number nine of the season.

Boss Gordon Strachan admitted: "As the ball went to Marian, I thought 'Well, I've been in football for a few years and, if I was in his position, what would I do'?

"And then, when he struck it, I said: 'I wouldn't have done that, because that was fantastic'!

"There were all sorts of variations of what he might have done, but I couldn't see that one happening."

"That was not a bad goal," offered Reid.

Pahars very nearly had a second goal five minutes later. James Beattie crossed the ball from the by-line to Pahars at the far post, he headed the ball goalward and Sorensen flapped at the ball which TV replays later showed had crossed the line.

The ball broke to Anders Svensson ten yards out, and he should have ended any debate by burying the rebound, but could only find the back of the Chapel Stand.

Strachan admitted: "I couldn't say if that was a goal, but the boys did say it seemed to be over the line."

By then, Southampton were cruising to a precious victory, three points to establishes a little clear light between themselves and the bottom three.

Earlier, they had gone into the half-time break a goal to the good.

Chris Marsden's teasing 43rd minute cross was targeted at James Beattie inside the six-yard box, but Jody Craddock stuck out a boot and turned the ball into his own net.

Sunderland were poor. They played with a 4-5-1 system with Kevin Phillips the lone striker up front, but he got no service at all.

Reid laid into his players afterwards, accusing them of lacking the steely desire and ambition which Saints possessed to go out and compete.

Saints enjoyed the lion's share of possession, although Sorensen didn't have a great deal to do in the Sunderland goal - the nine shots off target a reflection of the hosts wayward shooting.

Beattie should have finished better after 22 minutes when put through, but he shinned his effort out for a goalkick when one-on-one with Sorensen, and Pahars and Paul Telfer both has glancing headers flash past the post.

Strachan had predicted that this would not be a feast of flowing, passing football, and he was right. "I was delighted with the way we played.

"It was very physical, cup-tie football to start with, with no-one wanting to make a mistake.

"But once the game died down, it became better. I thought we were mentally very brave by wanting to play the game, getting the ball down and up to our strikers.

"I thought the team were right at it from the off.

"When you play Sunderland, they test you in every department - physically and mentally, and we stood up to that.

"They are an honest team, a disciplined team with good players.

"I felt our honesty and our discipline was as good as theirs, but we were better than their good players at times.

"Sometimes, that is what it comes down to."