If Claude Puel can get his Saints team to embody the fighting spirit of Franny Benali in the days and months that lie ahead then he could well have a long and successful spell in charge of the club.

It was a strange kind of day at St Mary’s, part football match, part celebration of Franny’s triumphant return home.

After two weeks of running a marathon and cycling 75 miles every day, this was a chance for one of Southampton’s favourite sons to receive a deservedly warm welcome, even in the rain.

Benali’s exploits, all in aid of Cancer Research UK, were appreciated by the crowd, many of whom had bought wristbands outside the ground and displayed the Franny masks left on every seat.

As he came into the stadium to finish the challenge at half time, St Mary’s was ecstatic.

Benali is a symbol of Saints that everybody can get behind.

Born and bred in the area, a player that came out of the Tyro League and went all the way to the top with the club, he embodies so much of the spirit of Saints and as most people hope it will be in the future.

Benali as a player made the most of his career through his determination and will power. In his challenges since retiring he has taken even that to another level altogether.

What he has undertaken is a mammoth test, not only of body but, more significantly, of mind.

Those qualities are the kind of thing any manager wants to see in one of their players, and preferably their team collectively.

They not only produce the never say die moments that so often bring results, but the mentality to deal with significant pressure, as well as to cope with fatigue.

Puel will want that spirit in his squad as Saints deal with another fixture pile-up, with the Burnley game marking the start of seven matches in 22 days.

It is a significant period as well, with a double header against Inter Milan in the Europa League, some important top flight games as the table starts to take shape, and a League Cup tie in amongst it all.

Before the game, Puel would have been desperate to get the run off to a good start, to pick up some momentum where it was left off.

Also, in the context of a hard week with trips to Inter and Manchester City to come, a win against Burnley was always likely to ease the pressure.

With three points on the board it means anything from City in the next Premier League game is a massive bonus, while Saints’ position in the Europa League means a draw at the San Siro can be regarded a good result.

Saints were easily the more dangerous team for the majority of the game as they played some good stuff.

As you could have predicted, Burnley, playing with a five man midfield to try and stifle Saints, were going to try and make themselves a tough nut to crack. Their attacking intentions were less clear.

Getting the first goal was going to be key for Saints, to try and draw Burnley out a little and put the pressure on them to have to score to get anything from the game.

Saints so nearly got that after just five minutes as Matt Targett’s left wing cross picked out the run of Charlie Austin, darting in front of Ben Mee in the area.

He flicked his header towards the far corner but found Tom Heaton in inspired form as the Burnley keeper pulled off a truly magnificent save to dive to his left and somehow get it round the post.

After Targett went off injured on 14 minutes – leaving Puel with a left back dilemma for the upcoming run of games – and with Burnley trying to disrupt the rhythm of the match, Saints found their forward momentum coming in bursts.

Dusan Tadic got in behind via a long punt upfield just after the half hour but Heaton stood tall to stop his finish.

Tadic turned provider as Saints launched a quick counter attack - having surviving a penalty shout when Virgil van Dijk clearly fouled Johann Gudmundsson in the area with Mike Dean unmoved - and released Charlie Austin.

Heaton started to come and retreated, and it seemed to rush Austin into hitting a shot which went well wide.

The Burnley keeper had two more saves to make before the break, both from the lively Nathan Redmond.

He turned wide at the near post after a fierce drive and then pushed the ball towards Austin in stoppage time. It arrived quickly at the Saints striker who slipped as he tried to turn it home.

Saints got the goal they needed seven minutes after the restart and never looked back.

A deep right wing corner found van Dijk in space and the Dutch centre half headed back across goal. Sam Vokes managed to block Austin’s first shot from close range but was helpless to stop the striker forcing home at the second attempt.

It was 2-0 on 61 minutes as Redmond hit a superb first time half volley that appeared to take the slightest deflection and left Heaton no chance low at his near post.

The game was over as a contest six minutes later as rampant Saints added another.

Sam McQueen burst into the area and went down under a clumsy clash with Gudmundsson as he cut across the front of the Burnley man.

Dean pointed to the spot this time, even though it looked soft, and Austin rolled home the spot kick.

Things were maybe evened up a little on 72 minutes as Dean gave another penalty, this time to Burnley, as Ben Mee was felled tussling for an incoming corner with Tadic. Again, there wasn’t a lot in it, but Sam Vokes made no mistake to end the possibility of a clean sheet record for Saints.

Far from making it a nervy ending though, Saints might have won by an even bigger margin.

Steven Davis fired just wide, Jose Fonte headed off target from six yards out, while Heaton saved from James Ward-Prowse, Jay Rodriguez and Tadic, all in the closing minutes.

This was a day to celebrate as Saints showed some of that Franny spirit as the legend finished up his own challenge as his beloved club produced an emphatic win of their own.