FOR Saints, the next five in the Premier League are absolutely critical to the direction this campaign takes – not only because that will take us up to a third of the way through the season.

Before we turn our focusses fully to England’s trip to Andorra on Saturday evening, where Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse could make a Three Lions return, it’s a good time to assess the significance of what comes next.

The change in ownership of Newcastle has rocked the Premier League without doubt, and given that they are one of the three teams below Saints in the table and who also haven’t won a game this campaign, if they do make the expected climb that leaves one more free space at the table’s foot.

But Saints’ next five were enormous before that and are regardless of that, having already played a number of the country’s top sides – Everton, Manchester United, West Ham, Manchester City, Chelsea – they now get a chance at some of the teams Ralph Hasenhuttl says “are in our zone.”

Read more 

The next five in the Premier League is as follows: Leeds United (H), Burnley (H), Watford (A), Aston Villa (H), Norwich (A). Seven into the season, there’s only six wins between them and Villa have three of them.

Daily Echo: Saints' next five in the Premier League Saints' next five in the Premier League

It’s unknown yet whether Saints’ position in the table is truly representative of the performances given and what could be to come – draws against United, City and the Hammers were all top results with matching performances in areas.

But the fact of the matter is performances don’t always reward you with points, and Hasenhuttl has a chance of putting that right with these more ‘winnable’ games in the next five.

Teams often assess the season as they go in 'blocks'. From my time working at local National League side Eastleigh, I learned that they assess their's in blocks of seven fixtures at a time.

As I previously mentioned, once this block of games are played we will be 12 into a 38-fixture season. One more after that, a trip to Liverpool’s Anfield, and then you are over a third of the campaign in.

Daily Echo: Only James Ward-Prowse has scored two goals for Saints this season - both spot-kicks (Pic: Stuart Martin)Only James Ward-Prowse has scored two goals for Saints this season - both spot-kicks (Pic: Stuart Martin)

Perhaps the club should be aiming higher, but for now let’s just target that magic 40-point mark that is so often discussed as the staple for avoiding the Championship trapdoor.

Saints have four points from seven now. A third of 40 is 13.3. You can’t get .3 points in a Premier League match (if you could, maybe some of those good performances would have been rewarded).

So to even reach a base rate of 13, just under a third of the safe 40 mark, a third into the season, Saints need to amass nine points from the next five, the next available 15 points.

Daily Echo: Saints have picked up four of an available 21 points so far (Pic: PA)Saints have picked up four of an available 21 points so far (Pic: PA)

Three wins does it. Or two wins and no losses in the other three. You look again at the fixtures, Leeds, Burnley, Watford, Villa and Norwich – easily three are winnable, but football isn’t played on paper and the pressure on getting these results, with the other teams knowing they are in a similar position, is going to be enormous.

It only takes a poor result or two, a turn-up from last-season's top-half finishers Leeds, a new manager bounce from Watford, a Danny Ings nightmare from Villa, and all of a sudden that pressure is heightened.

Of course, it isn’t the be-all and end-all, Saints aren’t automatically relegated even if they lose all five – although it would make it a long season ahead.

Daily Echo: Saints will want to draw on some positive performances to pick up a first win after the break (Pic: PA)Saints will want to draw on some positive performances to pick up a first win after the break (Pic: PA)

A lot can change, but after the particularly disappointing loss at St Mary’s to Wolves, Hasenhuttl and co need to turn what have been undoubtedly encouraging performances into hard, solid results.

They will of course be without the captain, Ward-Prowse, for Leeds and Burnley’s visits – before his suspension ends following Saints going back to Chelsea in the EFL Cup last 16.

The direction of Saints’ season will be much clearer by the close of play at Carrow Road on Saturday, November 20. Let it be the right direction.