27 mins Fuelled by righteous indignation after the Almiron incident, Isaac Hayden took the ball off the toes of Pierre Hojbjerg with a one-footed lunge into the path of Ayoze Perez. The Spaniard jinked his way to the right side of the box and just when it seemed he would pass, he slotted the ball between covering defender Jan Bednarek's leg and in off the far post. 1-0

31 mins Matt Ritchie's determination to reach the ball on the halfway line took him past a pair of idling opponents and his pass set Salomon Rondon scampering away down the left touchline.

Shadowed by two Saints defenders, the striker made it into the box before a sending over a perfect low cross to the far post for Ayoze Perez to slide in beyond Ryan Betrand and stretch his right leg, hitting the ball into the ground which took it over the dive of visiting custodian Angus Gunn. 2-0

Half time: Magpies 2 Saints 0

59 mins Nathan Redmond's cross from the right was touched into the path of Mario Lemina who hit a firm low shot from the edge of the area that beat Martin Dubravka's dive to his left.  2-1

86 mins Some concerted pressure on the Saints goal led to two corners and when the second was half-cleared, Matt Ritchie threw himself at the ball. His header may have been going in but Ayoze Perez glanced the ball to the other side of Gunn and into the unguarded Leazes goal. 3-1

Full time: Magpies 3 Saints 1

A first hat trick in English football for Ayoze Perez on Saturday helped United secure the victory that took them past the 40 point mark and banished any lingering doubts about Premier League status.

This teatime game kicked off under blue skies, but the warm temperatures and a lack of goalmouth activity initially threatened to leave supporters snoozing.

That all changed midway through the first half, when referee Anthony Taylor's refusal to dismiss James Ward-Prowse for a cynical bodycheck on Miguel Almiron fired up home players and fans alike.

The Paraguayan was still in his own half, but with a clear route to goal as he raced forward with Salomon Rondon in support. Blatantly denied a goalscoring opportunity by Ward-Prowse in the absence of any covering defenders, the outcome was a yellow card, rather than red.

Surrounding by protesting players and with an incensed manager and staff protesting at pitchside, coach Mikel Antia was sent to the stands for abusing the linesman, Rafa fortunate not to follow him.

That anger though was quickly channelled in a positive way by the black and whites, and renewed harrying of the opposition defence would soon bring tangible reward.

Isaac Hayden's persistence set up Perez to weave his way into the Saints area before netting with a low shot that went through a covering defender's legs and nestled in the far side of the goal.

1-0 soon became 2-0 as more slackness from the visitors allowed United to push forward down the left flank and Salomon Rondon squeeze a cross to the far post for Perez to force the ball home. 

Rondon himself almost made it 3-0 a minute into added time, but his shot from eight yards out was blocked as he seemed certain to convert.

Despite not being certain of their own top-flight survival, Southampton had shown remarkably little as an attacking force in the opening 45 minutes, but would dominate the game following the interval.

A double change by Ralph Hasenhuttl saw Mario Lemina and Stuart Armstrong arrive, and Lemina got one back just before the hour mark as he was given time to shoot from the edge of the area.

Maya Yoshida missed twice from close range for the visitors, while rare attacks by United led to Ki striking the base of a post and Gunn somehow saving a deflected drive from Hayden.

Injuries to Almiron, Fabian Schar and Hayden saw all three substituted and affected our balance - concern that what looked like a hamstring pull by Almiron could bring his season to an early conclusion. The Paraguayan looking like he was almost in tears as he left the pitch.

Pressure continued to build on United and there was a clear sense of unease within the ground, not helped when Rondon's header was blocked on the line by Ward-Prowse after a scramble in the area.

However, Perez wasn't finished and was in the right place to glance home Matt Ritchie's goalbound header four minutes from full time - the committed intervention of Ritchie capping a display surely motivated by the boyhood Pompey fan facing his Hampshire rivals.

The Saints kept pushing on to make the five added minutes slightly uncomfortable before the final whistle sounded and Perez left the field with the match ball and applause ringing in his ears. 

There were rousing choruses of appreciation for the manager too, as he was left in no doubt about the support he retains from the stands during what could be his penultimate home game in charge.

In his post-match media comments, Benitez then reiterated the importance of the club striving to do more than merely survive in the Premier League - a view seemingly at odds with comments from Lee Charnley following the release of the club accounts this week.

Three games to go then and safety has been reached, but little else seems decided on Barrack Road.

Biffa/Niall