Sadio Mane took the plaudits for scoring the fastest hat trick in Premier league history, but this was a great all round team display.

Quite rightly most of the talk will be about Sadio Mane and his hat trick in only 2 mins and 56 seconds a feat that will be very hard to beat if anyone else fancies taking his mantle of scoring the fastest hat trick in Premier League history, but this was a team display that saw Saints finally return to the free flowing game of earlier in the season.

Saints started well and Pelle looked onside when he slotted home but he was to be denied by a very late flag from the linesman, however the stay of execution for Villa would be short as Sadio Mane embarked on his scoring spree that would see the visitors blown away in the space of 2 mins 56 seconds.

The first goal owed much to Mane's persistence as he latched on to Pelle's flick on and held off two defenders and was then too strong for Shay Given leaving him with an easy tap in.

The second saw Shane Long do what he does well and that is use a sudden burst of pace to put goalkeepers under pressure, Given thought that he had plenty of time to clear a back pass, but suddenly there was long to block and as the ball fell loose Mane slotted home from a tight angle.

The third was another assist from Long who latched on to a through ball and then used the ball wisely across the area to find Mane who side footed it home to make the game safe with only 16 minutes on the clock.

But the Saints scoring was far from over and now it was Long's turn to get in on the act, Pelle was initially put through and his shot was blocked by Given but again the ball fell kindly and Shane Long was on hand to side foot it home.

But the fifth was a classic and again it was Long, he took the ball and from around 40 yards sweetly put the ball over Given.

The only down moment of the match came on the stroke of half time when Benteke outjumped Fonte and headed home deep into added on time.

This seemingly rang an alarm bell for Saints as in the second half rather than try and beat the eight goals scored against Sunderland, they made sure that there would be no Villa revival and for long periods Saints were content to let Villa pass the ball without letting them really create any opportunities, amazingly the visitors had 65% possession in the game.

The only goal of the second half came with ten minutes left and saw good work on the right between Djuricic and mane with the latter crossing for Pelle to thump home, a just reward for the Italian who had done everything right in the game but Given had stopped everything he threw at him.

So overall a pleasing performance with Saints back to their best, but it wasnt just the Mane and Long show, it was about the team, starting with Gazzaniga in goal who grew in confidence and caught some dangerous crosses and also made a couple of decent saves, through to the midfield who ran tirelessly to make sure that Villa would not get back into the game and of course the three goalscorers who as well as scoring all had assists to their name.

A much needed win and now Saints fans must wait anxiously to hope that Swansea fail to beat Manchester City, if that happens then our better goal difference of 23 over the Swans will be enough whatever happens on the final day to guarantee 7th.

But hopefully it will be better than that although Spurs won Liverpool lost and that means that Saints could finish 5th if they win at City and results go their way elsewhere, it is still a big ask, but one step at a time and the first is this afternoon.

Photo: Action Images

PezzaSaint added 10:50 - May 17 Certainly didn't see that result coming and it just goes to show that if you're not fully up for it as Villa weren't and we weren't last week then you can easily punished in the Premier League. First goal seems so key for us because we can then take the sting out of the game with our Ray Wilkins passing and invite teams on and with Mane and Long in your team that is a scary proposition for the opposition. Must pray for a win at City next week with Spurs and Liverpool not winning their games to avoid the potential of Europa League football in July?! Think City will get something at Swansea today

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GeordieSaint added 11:24 - May 17 Not happy with the way they relaxed in the second half! At 4 0 I put a tender on 7 1 and they just cruised around like my money meant nothing to them. Selfish b#stards. Seriously, I loved the assist from long for manes third. He got the ball just outside our box. Incredible effort. Well done lads and cheers to Koeman, what a guy.
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IanRC added 12:38 - May 17 Mane is a class act, not so sure about Djurujic and Elia. Good to see Victor getting back to something like his best and Long and Pelle too were wonderful yesterday. At last the return of some passion. Hope Morgan and JRod make it back in time, bring on City.
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ItchenNorth added 13:11 - May 17 Credit to the Villa fans too in the second half. Much like the Sunderland fans when they were battered down here, they had a great a sense of humour, fun & defiance when at that point; they had no idea they'd have been safe by 5pm. All great fun in the Itchen North stand again! Lots of highlights, Mane's hatrick, Long's belter but Pelle again put a shift in and at the end of a well worked move he smashed in a great volley. He's deserved his goal.

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corkcitysaint added 13:12 - May 17 The pleasing thing about yesterday is that we seemed to play with a purpose for the first time in a while. We were quick in the attack and seemed to have confidence again. I think Pelle's goal is a good example of that. The ball game across and he just struck it. During his goal drought, you good see him taking a touch first and then making a mess of it or just blazing it over the bar. It's all about confidence. On a side note, can you imagine Sky or the press today if Kane or Sterling had scored that hat trick instead of Mane? They would be going nuts!!

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SaintBrock added 15:26 - May 17 A surprising and very pleasing afternoon's work. Where was this team hiding when we needed convincing score lines like this to say in touch with the Champions League places? Difficult not to be cynical about football sometimes now that we know we won't be higher than 7th and with luck will not have to do the Europa League which everyone has done their best to avoid. At least we may have won this battle. Certainly good timing for wavering season ticket holders and thos thinking of signing up for next season.

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Consigliere added 18:47 - May 17 SOMNAMBULANT - That was the description in the Telegraph of the Villa defence and I had to look it up to check I knew its meaning! (I was right, now you have to as well). Having given due allowance for all that, it was still a very fine display from Saints and not just from the goal scorers. Villa clearly had a lot more possession but our midfield remained calm and the back line looked solid in defence and better for the introduction of Yoshida. What I really liked was the sheer joy on Mane's face as he fan over to the Itchen to urge the crowd on. Due respect too for the Villa fans who came down for a party and didn't let the result get in the way. Now we can relax, with the Manchester results out of the way. Time to reconsider that sombrero I had put back in the attic after the last few games......

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BoondockSaint added 20:46 - May 17 Ah, the emotional see-saw of being a Saints fan: Finally, we start scoring goals!-But where was that when we needed it February? Played like we did at the beginning of the season!-But Villa played as if their game plan was designed by the Generals when they play the Globetrotters . Mane showed why he is our best threat!-But as someone wittier than me has said, you can hear the binoculars of the rich teams as they turn and focus on the South Coast. But, all in all, a great day: Saints win, close out the season at St Mary's with a big win, probably boosted season ticket sales, the home kit will still have stripes, and Wittle Stevie G loses his last game, misses a free kick, and will now go cry on a bag of money in LA (Unless it's a Lampard Avoid Fair Play Scam and he will be loaned back to Chelski or the like.) P.S. Corkcitysaint--none of the after game coverage I watched showed or discussed Pelle's first "goal" which was not offside-imagine the cries of the press if that had been... Kane, Sterling, Hazard. Costa. or Aguero (with or without the "Kun")

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corkcitysaint added 07:17 - May 18 Boondock - Totally agree. Of course not 'cos it happened to Pelle! In a greedy, selfish way, I prefer us / players flying under the radar but it does show you how TV & print media have their favorites. Just look at 'pool v Palace, they were just dying for Stevie G to score!!
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SaintBrock added 15:46 - May 19 It has not been commented on elsewhere but Nigel Adkins was a guest in the Director's Box on Saturday and what fabulous gesture that was from Katerina, Ralph and all the others to recognise at last publicly what a great, great job he did for us during three majestic years of our development into one of the most eye-catching stylish teams in football anywhere. He started the ball rolling with his ultra-positive motivational and vision-awareness training after all and had more than a little to do with the rise and rise of Lallana & Lambert and Morgan. If he is currently without job, surely we could fit him in as an assistant-assistant manager to Koeman without treading on too many toes. I'm sure he and Sammy are best mates anyway.

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