Newcastle United strengthened their grip on a Champions League position after showing no mercy on relegation haunted Southampton with an emphatic win on the South Coast.
On a day of fluctuating weather at St Mary's Stadium, at one stage amid driving rain, Newcastle fans were singing and dancing in the rain with their shirts off as their team made a real statement to the Premier League. Having survived some first half pressure, clinical United then took their chances in both halves thanks to red-hot Miguel Almiron, sub Chris Wood, Joe Willock and Bruno Guimaraes in a stunning victory.
The sparkling display put a four-point gap between the Magpies and Manchester United and lifted them to third but they will have to wait for the result of Tottenham's home clash with Liverpool to see if they can hold on to the top three position. For all Newcastle's excellent performances this season this one will rank high for Howe - not least because his side overcame a half-time withdrawal as number 9 Callum Wilson went off.
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After getting the nod in place of the suspended Joelinton, Jacob Murphy got straight into the game with a left wing cross for Wilson but Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu made a strong claim. With three minutes played Southampton's long throw specialist Mohammed Salisu tossed the ball into the box but Fabian Schar cleared the danger.
A Sean Longstaff cross from the right looked for Wilson in the box a minute later but he couldn't connect. Another Salisu long throw caused danger on eight minutes but even after Nick Pope had didn't get clean contact on it, Schar got a good block in.
Pope then made a fine save on 10 minutes when he pushed away Romain Perraud's shot from distance and Newcastle cleared up the subsequent threat from the corner. A VAR check for a penalty with 25 minutes gone did not result in a spot-kick for United.
Miguel Almiron's take down looked to be handled by Salisu but the ref did not deem it a penalty after checking with his fellow officials. A dangerous Kieran Trippier cross from the right found Willock at the back post with half an hour gone but his knock down was struck against Armel Bella-Kotchap by Almiron.
The Saints were forced into a change as Juan Larios went off injured and was replaced by Romeo Lavia 10 minutes before the break. Newcastle snatched the lead on 35 minutes when Longstaff played in Wilson down the right.
The striker went down in a heap after a challenge but helped it on for Almiron who then ran on, beat his man, and slotted it past Bazunu to make it 1-0. It was a moment that sent both the Paraguay skipper and the strong travelling support from Tyneside into ecstasy.
Almiron's run saw him evade Ainsley Maitland-Niles' awkward challenge before grabbing his eighth goal of the season. Southampton missed a huge chance in first half stoppage time as Stuart Armstrong cross from the right for Mohamed Elyounoussi at the back post but he fired well wide.
United went in with the lead at the break but they were forced into a change of their own at half-time as Wilson was replaced by Chris Wood. Wilson had complained of feeling "run down" early in the week.
Pope was tested by James Ward-Prowse two minutes into the second half after he hammered a free-kick at goal but he was equal to it.
A rare mistake from Botman on 55 minutes saw him roll the ball to Theo Walcott before Che Adams had a sight of goal but he could only hit it wide. It would be a chance that Adams would rue as Newcastle soon doubled their lead and took full control of the game.
Murphy slipped in substitute Wood in the box before he calmly turned his man and curled it in the bottom to make it 2-0. Newcastle extended their lead even further on 62 minutes as Willock grabbed his first of the season.
But the ex-Arsenal man had Trippier to thank after a defence-splitting pass through the middle to set him free down the middle. Willock moved in on goal and only needed a toe punt to guide it into the corner and beat Bazunu once again.
At 3-0 Southampton brought on former Toon striker Adam Armstrong, Joe Aribo and Samuel Edozie for Stuart Armstrong, Adams and Walcott.
That was the cue for Howe to make another change as Jonjo Shelvey replaced Murphy after a good shift. With Southampton tiring, Howe turned to Allan Saint-Maximin with Willock making way.
With a solid lead, Newcastle boss Howe rotated his squad again with 10 minutes left giving Elliot Anderson and Javier Manquillo a taste of the action with Trippier and Almiron going off. The weather dried up in the closing stages and so did Newcastle's amount of openings.
Southampton pulled one back in the 89th minute as Romain Perraud weaved into the box and slammed home for a consolation. But order was restored as Shelvey's late free-kick found Bruno who curled home from 25-yards to put the icing on the cake.
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