Saints travel to Old Trafford determined to protect their best ever start to a Premiership season today.

Having taken 16 points from their 11 league matches so far this term, Saints have not only beaten their previous Premiership best of 15 from 1999/00 but captured more points at this stage than any season for 13 years.

That was the 1989/90 campaign when they were two points better off after 11 games and finished seventh.

But Gordon Strachan's men could hardly find a tougher place to take their record with Manchester United looking to bounce back from a 3-0 Champions League defeat in midweek.

In form striker James Beattie, who hit a hat-trick against Fulham last Sunday, said: "We're doing well right now. To come back from two goals down to beat Fulham last week was a big boost for us.

"But you know it's going to be hard at Old Trafford.

"There are going to be 60,000 fans cheering them on and to walk out into that is an amazing feeling.

"There will probably be about 250 Saints fans in the corner, though, so I hope to be able to run and celebrate with them.

"I've never scored at Old Trafford but it is a very special ground.

"I once played on my birthday and hit the bar and post and another time we were drawing 3-3 and I got through in the last minute and had the chance to win it, but Taibi saved my shot.

"So it would be very special to score there."

Saints have not won at Old Trafford in the Premiership and have lost nine times out of ten but go there on the back four consecutive victories.

Beattie, who has netted four times in his last two Premiership starts, is set to come up against £30m def-ender Rio Ferdinand, a player he rates highly.

He said: "He's definitely a class player, you don't pay £30m for somebody unless they are.

"They've got great players all over the pitch but we are going there with confidence after a good start.

"We're keeping our feet on the ground but we're going to try and get something from them."