'Stoke players feel they could do something special'

Stoke City showed a different side of themselves at Southampton and left the south coast having turned a very good start to the season into a great one.

They edged the game with 11 men on the field but it was Divin Mubama's red card that gave the Potters the chance to really show the progress they're making.

Stoke started the game well without creating the clear-cut chances their work between the boxes deserved.

They were thankful for one terrific save from Viktor Johansson and wastefulness from impressive teenager Jay Robinson and former Stoke man Taylor Harwood-Bellis, but they were the better side.

Lewis Baker scored a vital goal to punish those mistakes and keeps popping up in dangerous areas in and around the edge of the penalty area. It's realistic to think he could provide 10 goals or more from midfield this season.

Mubama's dismissal, which followed a second yellow card for diving, felt extremely harsh and changed the game, but Stoke took the opportunity to show they could win when their backs are against the wall.

Sorba Thomas' fine finish from a brilliant Johansson assist gave them breathing space and showed they can be clinical on the break, whilst their defending highlighted a growing togetherness and tenaciousness.

To a man, Stoke's players all talk about the bond they're forming and the fact that they feel they're part of a group that could do something special this season.

The calm resilience with which they saw the game out had a noisy away end bouncing at full-time.

Players, coaches and fans were celebrating in unison in the corner at St Mary's and it feels like that togetherness is extending out from the dressing room and onto the terraces in a way not seen at this club in a long time.

Manager Mark Robins was again the voice of reason post-match. Whilst warning everyone not to get too far ahead of themselves, he did tell the fans and players to "enjoy this". Starts don't get much better.

So, how would Robins celebrate? "A bottle of water" with a bit of game analysis on the long journey home. That win was intoxicating enough.