The incredible stat that aligns Southampton with a previous promotion-winning team

Tonda Eckert's Southampton side has accumulated 27 on-pitch points through 13 Championship games this season, matching the record set by Nigel Adkins' 2011/12 promotion-winning squad at the same stage. While a four-point deduction has left the Saints on 23 points in the table, BBC Radio Solent's Tom Murray highlighted that the team's underlying form mirrors the club's previous successful campaign.

Saints Marching notes that the current squad sits three points behind second-place Swansea City following a 4-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers. The piece draws parallels between both eras, comparing striker Cyle Larin to Rickie Lambert, Finn Azaz to Adam Lallana, and Kuryu Matsuki to Guly Do Prado as Southampton pursues automatic promotion.