GRAZIANO Pelle and Sadio Mane are a strike partnership to compare with Ron Davies and Mick Channon.

That is the view of Terry Paine, who reckons Saints’ current strike duo loses little in comparison with his legendary teammates of the late Sixties and early Seventies.

Paine said: “Mane and Pelle are a little-and-large partnership that reminds me of Micky Channon and Ron Davies.

“I’m a great believer in having a more-than-capable big man up top and, while no-one is in the league of Ron in the air, Pelle is the big man who holds it up gets those flick-ons to utilise Mane's pace in behind.

“Ron used to win everything in the air and Channon had the pace and ability to get beyond defences like Mane does now.

“Having that option allows you to approach a game in so many ways and the combination we have now is very effective at it.

“When they are working in tandem they will always be difficult to defend against. It means you’re always in with a chance and will always be competitive, whoever you play against, if you can supply them from out wide and/or midfield.”

For Paine, Saints midfielder Victor Wanyama stirs memories of another of his Sixties teammates - the tenacious Brian O'Neil.

“I’m a great fan of Wanyama’s presence and strength, he’s so important to us part after losing Schneiderlin,” continued Paine.

“It’s always difficult to compare different eras, so much has changed that it’s almost a different game.

“But I would liken Wanyama to Brian O’Neil in terms of his aggression.

“That kind of player is always running the gauntlet with the referee but you really need the Wanyamas of this world to win you the ball.”

Paine is delighted with the Saints' response to losing not only Schneiderlin but Nathaniel Clyne and Tony Alderweireld “It was always going to be a little bit of an ordeal, especially as we also had the disruption at left-back, with Ryan Bertrand out for two months, as well as Fraser Forster being injured," he said.

“So many good players have moved on without destabilising the team or changing the philosophy of football.

“With a new right-back and two new centre-backs, there’s a lot to admire about the way the club has responded.

Van Dijk at this stage looks an exceptional signing, we did extremely well to bring in a goalkeeper of Maarten Stekelenburg’s stature.

"I'm sure Jordy Clasie will develop into a very good Premier League player and it's been nice to see Tadic rediscover some of the form he showed when he first came to the club.

"He's had to get stronger, but has a great soccer brain and an excellent left foot.

“The fact we are where we are just goes to show how professional we are in the market place. We have had hiccups at home but I think that’s more because of the changes that have had to take place.

“We love to get on the front foot – and our away record is remarkable.”