Saints welcomed back former boss Ronald Koeman and showed him just what he could have been doing this season.
I thought before the game that Saints would need an early goal but I didn't dream it would be within 45 seconds as we seemed to be in overdrive from the word go and caught Everton before they were even out of the blocks.
When I saw the team selection I was a little surprised, usually James Ward Prowse and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg don't start in Premier League games and the inclusion of Josh Sims was a big surprise that came out of nowhere.
Add Cedric Soares who Koeman dropped in favour of Martina in the second half of last season and Oriol Romeo who was always second fiddle to Wanyama and it was if Claude Puel said to his team before the game to those who the Dutchamn either didn't seem to rate or ignored completely "Go out and show him he is wrong".
If that was the message it worked as for the first quarter of the game Saints blitzed Everton who were shellshocked.
But a second goal didn't come and the visitors started to impose themselves on the game as it went on and it needed a team effort to make sure that no goals were conceded and that all three points went to the home side.
Ironically it was former Saints keeper maarten Stekelenburg who made sure that Everton weren't routed, he made two top saves in the second half, the first from Charlie Austin who the Dutch Keeper stopped hi header at full length and the second from James Ward Prowse who showed great calm in chesting the ball down only to see Stekelenburg get a hand to the shot to take the sting out of it allowing a defender to clear it off the line.
Josh Sims would not have been recognised by many Saints fans if he had passed them in the street before the game, but he brought a youthful exuberance to the game that seemed to inspire his team mates, he had a great first half, a little spell in the second where he seemed to tire and make a wrong decision or two and then finished the game strongly to stake a claim for man of the match.
Overall I don't think he could quite claim that such was the displays put in by several of his team mates, but he came close.
This was a great team display and although Everton pressed hard in the final 20 minutes they did not get a shot on target to the final minute when Forster had to deal with a tame effort from distance.
So a great result from Saints and a win that was sorely needed after a poor run of form and one that will hopefully restore confidence for two important games coming up.
It pushed Saints back up into the top ten and although we can't change the past it should be noted that if Saints had won at Hull City as they should have done they could have sat in 6th place this morning.
No of course it is all ifs and buts, but it does illustrate that we are not that far from the heights that we achieved last season, there is much to look forward to.