BRETT ORMEROD was the man who initially suffered from Saints splashing out over £3m for Kevin Phillips.

A regular starter alongside James Beattie last season, Ormerod was reduced to the ranks of a spectator for the first two months of the campaign.

He managed to force his way back into the first team when Phillips was suspended for three games in October. But it's only in the past week that the ex-Blackpool striker has fully repaid manager Gordon Strachan's faith in him.

Though he didn't score against Pompey, his all-round play and 'nuisance' value certainly played a large part in Saints' win.

But yesterday he found the goals to go with his always excellent workrate.

Ormerod has not been a prolific scorer at Saints. He netted only nine times last season, though that was still sufficient to make him the second top scorer. Three of those came against Tranmere in the Worthington Cup, while he endured a 23-game blank between the end of October and scoring in the FA Cup semi-final in mid-April.

Sunday tabloid speculation yesterday linked Ormerod with big-spending First Division outfit Wigan Athletic.

The ambitious Lancashire side have pretensions of becoming the smallest club ever to reach the top flight, bankrolled by JJB Sports owner Dave Whelan.

Ex-Birmingham striker Geoff Horsfield is currently injured while Wigan's other two frontline striking options are the promising, but young, Nathan Ellington and veteran Andy Liddell.

But it is preposterous to believe that Strachan would let Ormerod go - certainly not when he turns in performances like yesterday's.

It is worth remembering that Ormerod could have had four goals against Charlton - twice the number of goals Phillips has scored all season (his 'goal' at Spurs has since been officially credited as an Anthony Gardner og).

And how many chances can you recall Phillips having in recent games, even though his general work outside the 18-yard box led Strachan to describe him as the 'best out of form striker I have ever seen' only last Friday?

That's not a criticism of Phillips, just an appreciation of what an in-form Ormerod can bring to the Saints side. And while he didn't score yesterday, Beattie's record while partnering Ormerod is much better than his record alongside Phillips. That must be to the forefront of Strachan's mind.

So could it be that while Phillips initially reduced Ormerod's role to that of a frustrated watcher, the roles might be - should be? - reversed at Anfield next weekend. After all, it's the men in form who should be given first chance.