Southampton are purring nicely in the Championship, especially at St Mary's after a convincing 4-1 win over QPR leaves them in fifth. After last season's Spygate controversy, the Saints and Tonda Eckert are bouncin back strongly.

McLean: "Southampton are doing brilliantly. They've obliterated their four-point deduction at the start of the season and without that, they would be sitting second.

"I just think it was the right thing for the club to keep Tonda Eckert. They respect how good he is and how well motivated and organised the club and the team are under him.

"Yes, mistakes were made last season but they have put that behind them. If anything, there is even more reason for them to kick on and go and get promoted this season and right the wrongs of last season.

"Everyone is playing to their level and that's the difference between them and say, West Ham. James Ward-Prowse is back playing the football we were used to when he was at Southampton before. James Bree, who went out on loan last season, has come back in and is playing out of his skin.

"They also have that siege mentality about them of, 'Everyone wants us to fail' because of what happened in May. It's them against the world and it's working for them."