Southampton continued their seemingly relentless run over the weekend, beating Huddersfield Town 5-3 at St Mary’s.
But that scoreline barely tells half the story of the match. Russell Martin’s side had in fact found themselves 2-0 down at half-time in that game.
A quickfire brace from Joe Rothwell – including a stunning volley – pulled it back to 2-2 shortly after the break.
The visitors then went back in front, only for a Tom Lees own goal, and strikes from Sekou Mara and Samuel Edozie to complete an incredible turnaround for Southampton.
With that win, it is now 25 games unbeaten in all competitions for the Saints. That keeps them 2nd in the Championship table, as they continue to chase an immediate promotion back to the Premier League.
Now though, it seems one aspect of that win may leave Martin with plenty to think about, in the coming weeks.
Substitutes make a big impact for Southampton
With Rothwell netting a brace, Mara scoring and assisting, Edozie finding the net and David Brooks providing two assists, there was a trend among those involved in the Saints’ goals on Saturday.
That is something that was picked up on by Adrian Clarke among others.
Speaking about that win for the Saints on talkSPORT’s EFL All Access Podcast, the former Arsenal and Stevenage midfielder said:
“What was amazing about this game is that all of the goals, all of the assists, came from the bench. Rothwell two goals, and kind of an assist, Brooks two assists, Edozie got a goal, Mara got a goal and an assist.
“Southampton have had a very settled team, but the guys that have been on the periphery, and those that have just joined the group, they’ve been given an opportunity, and they’ve taken it.
“So it’s going to be fascinating to see whether Russell Martin changes up his team for the next game.”
Next up for Southampton is a trip to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City on Tuesday night.
Russell Martin may face a selection headache after Huddersfield Town win
It could be argued that the way things played out on Saturday will leave Martin with a lot to consider going forward.
There have been a lot of Southampton players who have been well established as consistent features in the starting XI this season.
As a result someone like Mara has struggled for opportunities in the league. Edozie meanwhile has been out with injury for much of the campaign.
Rothwell and Brooks meanwhile, have had to wait for chances since their January loans from Bournemouth.
However, the fact they all made these contributions against Huddersfield Town, shows how important they can be for Southampton.
That could make it harder for Martin to justify leaving them out of the side. Consequently, he may soon be forced to make changes.
If he isn’t though, it will still be reassuring to know they have players capable of making that sort of impact, to call on from the bench.
This win therefore, may have provided Southampton with a boost in the race for promotion, beyond simply picking up three points.