EXPECTATIONS continue to rise at St Mary’s after an eye-catching fifth win in eight games and a Danny Ings goal that will stay in the memory for a long time to come.

Ings’ goal against Spurs was a thing of beauty and for me the best of the 15 goals he has now scored in all competitions this season.

There were shades of Matt Le Tissier in his pomp in the way Ings floated the ball over Toby Alderweireld and then had the composure to find the bottom corner with his weaker foot.

Its impudence and sheer chutzpah was a mirror image of the first of Le Tissier’s two goals against Newcastle at The Dell in 1993, when Kevin Scott was the hapless defender, and reminsicent of Paul Gascoigne's iconic Euro 96 goal against Scotland at Wembley, when Colin Hendry was left on his backside.

It’s easy to take an Ings goal for granted these days but his winner against Spurs was special, even by his high standards.

The eulogies keep on coming, but while an Ings goal has been a regular occurrence in recent weeks, clean sheets have not.

So to have completed two shut-outs in their last three matches, against sides of the calibre of Chelsea and Spurs, shows the extent of Saints’ improvement in the last two months.

Continuity of selection is one of the biggest confidence-builders for any player.

Jan Bednarek has been an ever-present this season and he and Jack Stephens have now played 12 Premier League matches in succession.

That extended run together is now reaping dividends.

The individual mistakes are becoming far less frequent. Saints’ back door, while not always heavily bolted, is being left ajar far less often.

What is more, Stephens is rapidly maturing into a creator of goals.

His partnership with Bednarek is blossoming as they grow in understanding and confidence but it is also proving to be a launchpad.

Stephens’ ball to Ings yesterday, a wonderful pass weighted to perfection down the inside-right channel, was not the first assist he has provided for Saints’ top scorer this season.

It was very similar to the Stephens pass from which Ings gave his side the lead at Newcastle last month.

Now, with a first New Year’s Day win since 2015 behind them – and 16 points from their last eight games – Saints can start 2020 looking towards the top half of the table.