KEVIN PHILLIPS believes he is approaching his very best form - and is confident the goals will follow.

The £3.25m summer signing has already made a huge impact for Saints this season, but is still waiting to add to his spectacular 30-yard strike against Leicester on the opening day of the season, which was voted The Premiership's August goal of the month.

Phillips was denied by the woodwork twice on Saturday and was also the man pressurising Dean Richards for the third, which appeared to come off the Tottenham defender.

Phillips said: "It was an own goal, unless the camera proves different it came off the defender.

"If they give it to me, I'll take it, but I should have got on the scoresheet anyway.

"At the end of the day I'm really pleased with the way I'm playing. Obviously I'm judged on scoring goals and I didn't score, so I'm a little bit disappointed.

"But the last two or three weeks has been the best I've played for two years so I'm sure the goals will come. The pleasing thing is the chances, I've had chances and I'm sure if that continues I'll score more than I miss."

Phillips insisted the comprehensive 3-1 beating of Tottenham was as good an all-round performance as the 1-0 victory against champions Manchester United last month.

He said: "It's a great result. It doesn't matter what problems any team has got, when you come to White Hart Lane it's tough.

"We played exceptionally well and to be honest I felt it could have been six or seven if I'd pulled my finger out!

"It's certainly up there with our best performances of the season. Obviously to beat the champions is something special, but the manner we did it against Tottenham was excellent, especially away from home.

"As a team we are growing in confidence and that is what wins do for you. We've got a great set-up and I'm really enjoying my time here.

"That is why I joined, to be winning games again, and it's excellent to win three games on the trot and I'm sure that we will get better."

Of his blossoming partnership with James Beattie, he added: "He is in a rich run of form at the moment. I've been there, it seems anything he touches goes in, I'm delighted for him. It's a difficult season for him after what he did last year and all credit to him.

"The partnership is getting better every week."