WATCH out Premiership - Kevin Phillips is back to his best.

That was the emphatic message sent out by the Saints striker, whose two goals in two minutes earned his side a 3-1 win over Chievo at St Mary's on Saturday.

It takes Phillips' pre-season tally to four goals in three and a half games and continues his superb run after Christmas last year when he hit 12 goals in the closing stages of the season.

The £3.25m striker, who once scored 30 Premiership goals in a season for Sunderland, said: "I felt good out there. It's amazing what a week at home does as well as a day off during the week compared to Plymouth last week.

"I feel really confident now and I can't wait for the start. Last time we played Villa I think it was our second or third-last game of the season and I scored, so hopefully it will be the same at Villa Park."

Phillips is hoping to hit the ground running in Saints' first league game of the new season against Aston Villa on Saturday and puts his current confidence down to completing his first full pre-season for several years.

"You never lose your touch," said Phillips. "Speak to the older pros and they'll tell you it's the fitness, but thankfully I've got a good pre-season under my belt, which I haven't done for a little while, and I feel good.

"Obviously the goals have come pre-season so hopefully I can take that into the season.

"You ask any player if you can get a full pre-season under your belt without any injuries it's a massive bonus. I trained all last pre-season but I never played any games and it's key to get at least four games. I've had three and a half now and I'm ready to go."

Paul Sturrock's appetite for his front pairing of James Beattie and Phillips has also been whetted and he raved: "Beattie and Phillips are a very strong pair. When I came here last year they scored a lot of goals at the end of last season.

"They give an edge to us and Kevin's also a linkage striker and at that he's excellent. People forget that - they think he's an out-and-out goal-scorer but he's a leader of the team as well."

Beattie came off after half an hour and Antti Niemi at half-time but Sturrock said: "Two or three years ago I think James would have played on but I warned all of them of dehydration, cramping and strains and as soon as he felt anything he came off and we're very confident he'll be OK for next Saturday.

"Antti had a slight tightness and could have gone on and played the second half, but I felt there was no point in taking any chances and I thought the boy Smith made a couple of great saves when he came on."

Speaking of the match, Phillips added: "In stages I thought we did well but we still gave away too many chances for my liking, but we've got another week now until the season starts and we can work on that.

"Technically the Italians are very good - the only thing you'd have to question is their work rate.

"They carved out some great chances and our keepers have played excellent but they were good quality opposition and the sort of opposition you need the week before you go into the Premiership."