Southampton have secured a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking with a Championship play-off final win over Leeds United.
The 1-0 win at Wembley would have seemed almost impossible when Southampton went on a run of four straight defeats just weeks into the season, but Russell Martin turned things around and will now be a Premier League manager.
The Saints had to defend resolutely to protect the 1-0 lead given to them by Adam Armstrong in the first-half, but did so with Leeds struggling to break them down.
Kyle Walker-Peters and Will Smallbone were immense, whilst Armstrong did what he has done all season to score his 24th goal of the campaign in the biggest stage of them all and it was he who was singled out for praise by Neil Warnock.
Neil Warnock full of praise for Adam Armstrong
Warnock was working as a pundit as part of Sky Sport‘s coverage of the showpiece event.
The former Leeds, Cardiff City and Sheffield United manager knows all about what it takes to get out of the Championship and recently advised Martin that he should take the whole squad for a meal following the 5-0 defeat to Leicester City.
Martin took this advice, although perhaps it would be a stretch to attribute Southampton’s play-off triumph to Warnock’s suggestion.
Southampton had all the best moments in the first-half, including the goal, and Warnock loved what he saw from Armstrong as he sprung the offside trap to run in behind the Leeds back-line and finish with aplomb.
Speaking at half-time, Warnock waxed lyrical about Southampton’s top goalscorer, saying: “He’s a manager’s dream isn’t he, Armstrong, he’s on his own, always on the shoulder. He’s a manager’s dream, Armstrong.”
Armstrong deserves another Premier League chance
Armstrong was initially signed by Southampton following a similarly impressive Championship campaign with Blackburn Rovers but struggled to make the step up.
The striker was never able to cement a regular starting spot and looked bereft of confidence, scoring just four top flight goals in two seasons.
However, the 27-year-old has looked a player reborn this season under Martin who has placed a lot of faith in him, even making him captain when Jack Stephens was absent through injury for much of the first part of the season.
It may be that Armstrong again struggles with the step up to the Premier League, but after his heroics this season he deserves the opportunity to give it another crack.