Southampton 2-1 Plymouth Argyle: Saints keep pace with Championship promotion chasers thanks to goals from Carlos Alcaraz and Che Adams

Rishi Sunak was among the cheering St Mary's crowd as he watched his Southampton team extend their unbeaten run to 17 games and pile the pressure on Ipswich and Leicester in the hunt for automatic promotion.

The Prime Minister could perhaps learn a thing or two about leadership from Russell Martin, whose popularity among a once-skeptical Southampton fanbase is at an all-time high.

Goals from Carlos Alcaraz and Che Adams gave Martin's side their fourth win in a row and no side in English football can match Saints' form – they last tasted defeat on September 23.

When these teams met at Home Park in August, it took a last-minute winner from Adams for Saints to come away with all three points, but despite having to wait until the 56th minute for their first goal, this result never looked in doubt . .

Amid a busy festive period, Martin made four changes to the squad, thrashing his former club Swansea 5-0 on Boxing Day, but there was no break in the slick, possession-based approach he has pioneered. has introduced successfully.

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Saints immediately went on the attack and Adams had the ball in the net in the fifth minute, neatly cutting down and finishing Ryan Manning's pass before it was flagged for offside.

Moments later, Saints' top scorer Adam Armstrong spotted Conor Hazard off his line and almost lobbed him from the halfway line, with his effort hitting the roof of the net.

Plymouth had not won on the road all season and interim management team Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivelli accordingly started an ultra-conservative 5-4-1 formation.

Saints had over 80% possession throughout, but were frustrated by the Pilgrims who often played with all eleven men, often behind the ball.

That didn't deter the chances and Argentina international Alcaraz soon went close with a half-volley that fell just wide of the far post.

Gus Poyet and John Eustace are rumored to be among the favorites to take over from Steven Schumacher, who left for Stoke City last week. If either take over the Devon club, they will be glad a trip to St Mary's wasn't their first order of business.

It was all one-way traffic in the opening stages and Martin's side came close again when Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed against the post from Ryan Manning's fifteenth minute goal.

Argyle's only move forward in the first half was a counter-attack, opening space for Morgan Whittaker on the left, but Sam Edozie executed a perfect recovering challenge to block his shot.

The pattern continued in the second half, with Alcaraz threatening again after a strong run and shot, with Hazard making an acrobatic save.

The noisy end was soon celebrated as Whittaker broke down the right and crossed to the far post where Bali Mumba waited to head home. Once again the flag was raised for offside and with Argyle still protesting, Saints struck.

Alcaraz, who was called up to the Argentina squad alongside Lionel Messi in October, showed how desperate Southampton were for a moment of class when he picked up Edozie's pass and curled it miraculously into the far corner from 25 yards.

Eight minutes later the result was put beyond doubt by Adams, who latched onto Harwood-Bellis' high pass and used his considerable strength to deny Lewis Gibson and score.

A disastrous mistake from Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu allowed Ryan Hardie to deflect in to score for Plymouth in the 90th minute, making the extra six minutes more nervous than they could have been for Martin, but the run continues.