SAINTS have only twice won away in the league since the start of the 2002/03 season against a side who began the match with more points than them.

The last time was at Liverpool in December of last year, and before that the 1-0 win on the final day of the 2002/03 campaign allowed Saints to leap above Manchester City and finish eighth.

The common denominator in both victories was defender Michael Svensson scoring.

And how Saints have missed the Swedish centre half - but at the other end of the pitch.

In the 28 league matches he has missed since picking up his knee injury, Saints have shipped 49 goals - an average of 1.75 per game - and kept just four clean sheets.

In 2003/04, in the games Svensson played, Saints conceded just 23 goals in 26 league matches and kept 11 clean sheets.

In all, Svensson has appeared in 60 league matches for Saints and the club have conceded 67 goals - an average of 1.16 goals per game - and kept 21 clean sheets.

So that's one clean sheet every seven matches without the Swede and a clean sheet every 2.8 games with him - a massive difference.

Saturday's White Hart Lane debacle was also the first time Antti Niemi has conceded five goals in 81 league and cup matches for Saints.

The last time he conceded that many was playing for Hearts in November 2000 when his side were caned 6-1 at Celtic.

Saturday's result was Harry Redknapp's worst as a manager for over four-and-a-half years in the league.

The last time one of Redknapp's sides conceded at least five goals in a league match was when his West Ham side were thrashed 7-1 at Old Trafford in March 2000.