Southampton produced a stunning attacking masterclass as they hammered Wrexham 5-1 and moved firmly into the Championship play-off picture.
The Saints were ruthless from the first whistle, with Kuryu Matsuki, Flynn Downes, Cyle Larin, Ross Stewart and Finn Azaz all finding the net in a one-sided contest at the Racecourse Ground.
The victory extends Southampton’s remarkable unbeaten run to 16 games in all competitions — a streak that also includes their shock FA Cup win over Premier League leaders Arsenal at the weekend.Manager Dennis Eckert Ayensa has completely transformed the side since taking charge.
After a nightmare start to the season that left them fighting relegation, the Saints now look like genuine promotion contenders.
They sit two points clear of Wrexham and hold a game in hand on their rivals for a top-six spot.Wrexham, chasing a fourth straight promotion under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, simply had no answer.
Despite making six changes from the team that stunned Arsenal, Southampton picked up exactly where they left off.
The visitors had already struck the woodwork twice through Larin and Azaz before Matsuki was left unmarked inside the box and drilled the ball into the bottom corner for the opener.Downes then had all the time in the world to pick his spot from a free-kick rebound on 22 minutes, making it 2-0.Wrexham pulled one back when Josh Windass slotted home, but any hope of a comeback was snuffed out quickly after the break.Larin pounced on a loose pass by Lewis O’Brien and raced clear to fire into the far corner.
Stewart came off the bench and powered home a header from Welington’s free-kick, before Azaz rounded off the scoring from close range.The result leaves Wrexham’s dream of another promotion looking increasingly difficult, while Southampton now have real momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
With their attacking players clicking and confidence sky-high, the Saints have suddenly become one of the teams to beat in the race for the play-offs.