Ronald Koeman hailed his “fantastic” team as Saints kept themselves right in the hunt for European football with a stunning 4-2 win over Manchester City at St Mary’s.

The victory, courtesy of a Sadio Mane hat-trick and another from Shane Long, made it five wins in the last seven for Saints, who leapfrogged Liverpool into seventh place.

It was a special day for the club with the 1976 FA Cup heroes helping to inspire today’s stars to a wonderful win.

Koeman beamed: “Fantastic. I think impressed about the team performance of today.

“From the start of the game good intensity, good football.

“We create from the start in the game a lot of problems to them with the movements from Sadio and Shane. Davis was fantastic, Dusan was fantastic.

“Big credit to the team because we played really, really good football.”

There is still little margin for error for Saints, despite the City victory.

Koeman believes they will need to win their final two matches, away to Tottenham and then at home to Crystal Palace, to get European football.

Koeman was asked whether he felt the season was still alive and smiled: “At least until next week, and that’s good.

“There is still one team that we did not beat in the Premier League, and that’s next week Tottenham.

“The message to the players was enjoy your game of today, because we play fantastic and everybody enjoyed the game I think.”

City made several changes for the match with their Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid in mind, but Koeman was keen that did not detract from the performance of his side.

“We are always confident to beat our opponent, maybe a little bit more when we play home,” he said.

“We expect some changes in the team and it’s difficult to manage and to deal with a Premier League game between two huge games with Real Madrid.

“I think they still need points, need wins, to finish in the first four teams in the league but it’s not my responsibility.

“It’s normal that maybe there is a little bit less focus if you play Wednesday Madrid to play the final of the Champions League.

“I think maybe it’s a human reaction of players in football.

“I think that’s not all the credit to Southampton. Even City maybe with the best team to start we had possibilities to win because we were at our best.”

City boss Manuel Pellegrini was angry that the game was played on the Sunday rather than the Saturday, and Koeman admitted: “I have sympathy of course. If they ask us to play this game on Saturday it’s not a problem for me.

“I don’t know about the organisation of the television but if we can help an English team in the Champions League we will help of course.”