Southampton on verge of making top 10 best ever home winning streaks

Nigel Adkins’ men have won a club record 18 league games in a row at St Mary’s and this evening chase a 19th consecutive victory.

If they overcome the Tigers, the Championship leaders will claim one of England’s all-time top ten home winning streaks.

However, standing in their way will be away specialists Hull, who have only lost THREE of their last 27 matches on the road.

Saints captain Kelvin Davis revealed the players have taken great personal satisfaction from their St Mary’s run.

But he insisted they are all well aware that extending it tonight, and establishing a place among the all-time greats, will be no easy task. “Obviously, the record’s there and we’re proud of it,” said Davis.

“The players that are at the club at the moment have achieved that.

“But we know that can end on Tuesday if we’re not ready for it, if we’re not up for our game.

“We don’t get too carried away with those kind of accolades or what we’ve achieved, because we know it can end on Tuesday.”

Only ten teams have ever won 19 or more consecutive league matches at home in English professional history.

And just two sides in the post-war era have managed to produce such a run.

Coincidentally, one of those was Hull, who rattled off 19 victories in a row on home soil, across 1965 and 1966.

The other was Liverpool, with 21 consecutive Anfield wins from 1971 to 1972.

Saints themselves are on a 21-game run in all competitions at St Mary’s.

The best ever home winning streak in English professional history was achieved by Bradford PA, when they won 25 in a row, way back in 1926 and 1927.

To match that, Saints would have to beat Hull, then record wins against Blackpool, Crystal Palace, Bristol City, Leicester, Cardiff and Burnley.

But Davis isn’t looking past tonight, as Adkins’ side look to bounce back from Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Bristol City.

“It will be a tough game,” said the keeper.

“They’re going to be very much up for the game and they’ve got some good players.

“We know that any Hull side are going to be passionate and a tough test, so it will be one for us to make sure we react positively.”

Davis added: “You want the next game as quick as possible, and obviously a home game is what we’d want.

“We’ve got that and all of a sudden then things could be bright again after that game.

“But we’ve got to realise we’re not going to win every game, and we need to make sure we keep doing the right things.

“I’m sure the manager will make sure of that, and we’re very much in control of our own destiny.”