IF any game has proved Gordon Strachan's assertion that this is the best squad he has ever had as a manager, it was Saturday's defeat.

Saints went to Old Trafford and largely out-played the champions even without the core of their first team.

With an entirely fit squad to choose between, Claus Lundekvam and Michael Svensson would be the preferred central defenders, while David Prutton and Matthew Oakley could be the frontline central midfielders.

Yet Rory Delap, Anders Svensson, Fitz Hall and the growing-in-stature Danny Higginbotham proved that there is now little to choose between much of the entire squad.

Without any disrespect to those waiting in the wings last season, a similar number of absentees at Old Trafford then would probably have resulted in an utterly convincing defeat.

There have been murmurs among some fans regarding the lack of major activity during the transfer window. But they have to ask themselves what they REALLY want.

As Saturday showed, Strachan has now established a squad with cover and strength in every position, while star players like James Beattie, Antti Niemi and Michael Svensson remain.

Last year, Prutton and Higginbotham came in, followed by Graeme Le Saux (albeit as a replacement for Wayne Bridge), Neil McCann, and Kevin Phillips - as well as French prospects Yoann Folly and Leandre Griffit. There are also an exciting group of youngsters coming through, meaning that there is now no point buying more players of the £1m or £2m variety.

Saints have a very good squad and the priority in the next few years remains to keep the majority of it.

In the short term, though, to really move up a level and be sure to drastically improve things, Saints would have to spend big money in terms of a fee and wages to capture players better than they already have.

Yet that in itself is a risky strategy and one which has hurt so many clubs (Ipswich, Derby, Coventry and Sunderland spring to mind) of a similar size to Saints when they were in the position to push for top-six finishes.

For that reason, it's difficult to fault Rupert Lowe's policy of cautious growth as chairman.

Now that Saints have moved to St Mary's and are regularly selling out, it will inevitably get more difficult to continue that progress.

But to have reached a stage of solid mid-table Premiership status, with the potential in a good season to push for Europe through the league or in the cups, should surely satisfy even the most ambitious supporter.

They might not be setting the world alight in terms of big-name signings.

With respect, Brentford 'keeper Paul Smith and Celtic full-back Stephen Crainey do not satisfy the craving for big names that some might demand.

And no doubt the search will go on for that dying breed of a genuinely creative midfielder, but basically Saints HAVE got things right off the field.

The proof of that was events on it during a wonderful game at Manchester United.