DUSAN Tadic will return to Saints from international duty with his confidence brimming after continuing his irrepressible form for Serbia.

Of his nation’s last ten goals, the Saints attacking midfielder has scored four of them himself and, incredibly, assisted six.

That fruitful run of games for Tadic has been a massive factor in sending Slavoljub Muslin’s side to the summit of their World Cup qualifying group, which also features the Republic of Ireland and Wales.

Shane Long and Ireland are in second place on goal difference.

At club level, Tadic’s creativity has been a key feature of Saints’s six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, which they look to extend at home to Burnley this Sunday in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old will return to Saints in the mood for more after hitting new heights in his latest internationals. 

Not long ago things with the national team were not so rosy for the playmaker.

Back in March, Tadic revealed that he felt humiliated after he was left out the squad.

He later stated that he would not play for Serbia while Muslin’s predecessor Radovan Curcic, who was sacked after failing to qualify for the Euros, was in charge.

How things have changed since.

Tadic’s hot form jolted into life after an 88th minute goal in a 3-1 friendly win over Israel in May.

And he hasn’t looked back.

In Serbia’s latest Group D success, a pulsating 3-2 home win over Austria, Tadic provided a brace for Newcastle targetman Aleksandar Mitrovic before netting the winner 16 minutes from time.

After the match, he said: “I almost burst into tears when the whole stadium started chanting my name at the end of the game.

“It doesn’t matter who’s getting the assists and the goals, the important thing is that we are winning. Muslin has deployed the right strategy and we’re only going to get better.”

That followed another excellent display in a 3-0 win in Moldova last Friday.

First, Tadic assisted Filip Kostic to open the scoring, then he delivered a pinpoint cross that found Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic to head home.

The former FC Twente man then found the net himself just before the hour mark.

In their opening World Cup qualifier in September, Tadic netted and then set-up Kostic in a 2-2 draw with Republic of Ireland, which followed an assist for Mitrovic in a 1-1 tie with Russia.