Southampton continued their excellent run on Tuesday night, with a 3-0 win over Watford in the FA Cup.
That victory secured them a place in the fifth round of the tournament where they will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool.
A Sekou Mara brace and a strike from Che Adams provided the goals that confirmed that win. However, there was another aspect of the win that at least one observer enjoyed more.
Journalist picks stand out aspect of Southampton win v Watford
Taking to Twitter to reflect on the win over Watford, ITV journalist and Southampton fan Ed Chamberlin was keen to identify his favourite part of that victory.
That he said, was the emergence of youngsters from the academy, showing their emerging quality for the first-team.
Such an attribute is something that Chamberlin believes is the ‘soul’ of the club.
The former Sky Sports presenter also identified two examples of such players who were on show during the win.
He went on to suggest that Jayden Meghoma and Tyler Dibling are names worth remembering. The two 17 year olds both started against Watford. Meghoma played the full 90 minutes, with Dibling featuring for 65.
Meghoma has now made four cup appearances for Southampton this season. Dibling has five senior appearances this season, including one in the Championship.
Saints’ academy adds to excitement around the club
There are plenty of reasons for those connected with Southampton to feel optimistic right now.
This stunning unbeaten run means the club are well in contention to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
Meanwhile, the cup trip to Liverpool represents a big opportunity for Russell Martin‘s side to cause an upset.
However, the fact they have those academy players coming through the ranks, will only further add to that sentiment.
Every fan loves to see one of their own coming through the ranks to make it at first-team level. It is a sign that a club is willing to give those opportunities to their own prospects.
Beyond that, when those individuals prove successful, the chance to make a major profit on them that can be reinvested into the club also increases.
With Meghoma and Dibling showing early promise at such a young age, they are two Southampton players who could follow that path.
As a result, there may be more than just Chamberlin keeping an eye out for them, over the next few years.