The Southampton social media team couldn’t resist a cheeky dig at Donald Trump and his doomed US presidential election campaign as the Saints went top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle on Friday night.
Goals from Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong handed Southampton victory at St. Mary’s against an abject Newcastle and propelled the hosts to the summit of the table, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.
It is the first time in the Premier League era that the Saints have topped the table, and the first time they have led the way in the top flight since 1988 in the old First Division.
It is also a remarkable transformation for a team humbled 9-0 at home by Leicester just over a year ago, but who are now an increasing force under Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Check the league table ? pic.twitter.com/UefPpSyerv
On ascending to the Premier League peak, the club’s social media team couldn’t helping referencing current affairs over in the US, where an increasingly desperate Donald Trump has demanded that the vote count be stopped as he cries fraud in the presidential election race with Democrat rival Joe Biden.
Sharing the league table, the Southampton Twitter account added the message “STOP THE COUNT”, mocking Trump’s call for the same to be done at US polling stations as he faces defeat.
STOP THE COUNT pic.twitter.com/rS94knWEhO
STOP THE COUNT!
The tweet from the Saints went down a storm, amassing more than 275,000 ‘likes’.
Replies included some fans demanding a Trump-style meltdown when – as sadly seems likely – Southampton are forced to relinquish top spot.
“Please have a total meltdown tomorrow if/when we are overtaken. ‘where are these teams getting all these points from!? suspicious’,” one fan wrote, taking a swipe at Trump’s election antics.
please have a total meltdown tomorrow if/when we are overtaken’where are these teams getting all these points from!? suspicious’
While things seems increasingly troubled in the Trump campaign camp, they are far rosier on the south coast of England where Hasenhuttl is building a team of verve and vigor who have emerged as dark horses for a potential run at a European spot and possibly more.
Even without top scorer Danny Ings they were too much for a poor Newcastle, as a superb 7th-minute volley from Adams – his third goal of the season – and a late drive from Armstrong sealed the three points.
“Our fans will love it and they’ll make a picture of the table,” Hasenhuttl said afterwards.
“For us it’s nice but it shouldn’t kill the hunger for more. We should stay hungry and we should feel anything is possible with this team.
“I must be very proud. We developed not with a lot of invested money but with a lot of invested work.”
Morning, #SaintsFC fans ?Enjoy last night as much as the boss? ? pic.twitter.com/Px5wWX4jqA
Next up for Southampton after the international break is a trip to Wolves, as the Saints look to continue their impressive start to the season.
By that time, Trump may even have conceded defeat in his own battle to ‘stop the count’ against Biden.
