Eight months ago Saints lost to Newcastle United and a couple of days later the Country went into lockdown and the season was suspended, with Saints fans still looking over their shoulders at the bottom three, fast forward and the Geordies came back but it's a different story now.
With injury issues Ralph Hasenhuttl opted to be brave and go for the win rather than be cautious, he kept the same formation with Jan Bednarek fit and brought in Jack Stephens at left back, in the midfield he moved Theo Walcott into a more forward role and brought in Moussa Djenepo in his place on the left.
Good management from the Austrian, he had to make changes but he didn't complicate them by reshuffling too much or changing formation.
From the very start it was obvious that Saints were focused on the job and had the visitors on the back foot, we were the Saints of the first half at Villa Park not the team of the second and it paid early dividends, in the 7th minute Theo Walcott did some great work and puled the ball back for Adams, it was a difficult chance but the striker executed it perfectly smashing it past several defenders and leaving the keeper no chance.
It was a goal that Danny Ings would be proud of, in the previews I have been saying how confident I was, that Che Adams would step up to the plate and it was pleasing to be proved right.
Saints were a potent force going forward with Theo Walcott and Moussa Djenepo making some great runs.
At the back the defence held strong, give Kyle Walker Peters the ball and he rarely loses possession even under great pressure, Jan Bednarek and Jannik Vestergaard were strong and as stand in left back Jack Stephens did a good job.
In the centre of midfield James Ward Prowse and Oriol Romeu were strong they won the ball and used it well.
But for all our dominance we didn't get the second goal and there was always the chance that Newcastle would snatch it and Alex McCarthy did his job when called upon.
In the 82nd minute came the second goal that the TV audience of Saints supporters were waiting for, Stuart Armstrong won the ball and fired home to finish off lingering Geordie hopes and suddenly everyone realised that the dream was to come true and Saints would be top of the Premier League.
A job well done and typical of the spirit that Ralph Hasenhuttl has given not only his team but this football club, he has given us our pride back.
A comprehensive victory where it is hard to find any criticism of any player, they all did their job and did it well, just a shame that Saints fans could not be in the ground to see it, a little over a year ago on a wet Friday evening we witnessed perhaps the lowest point in our club history but definitely since we were first in the Premier League in 1992, this was perhaps the best moment since that time and the complete exorcism of that night against Leicester.
Saints are top of the Premier League, it might only be till 2.15pm today, so lets enjoy it !