Saints are seemingly set to be in pot 3 when the Europa League draw is done at Friday lunchtime.
Saints hopes of progressing past the group stage look to have improved after it seems they are now in pot 3 of the draw after this evenings results.
The winners and the runners up from the 12 groups in this stage will progress to the next round and be joined by 8 clubs who have failed to qualify for the Champions League next stage.
Although technically the four pots are in order of merit and Saints will therefore be joined by two teams with a higher UEFA ranking and one with a lesser one, the reality is that teams from smaller European countries can have a higher ranking than a Premier League team like Saints.
That means that Saints would fancy their chances against teams like Red Bull Salzburg, Sparta Prague, Standard Liege and Steau Bucharest who were walloped by Manchester City, the draw will have a lot of good teams from pot 1 and 2 in it though and Saints will need a favourable draw and avoid a group of death scenario if they are to progress to the round of 32.