Mars attacked... Lee Bowyer presses at Elland Road (LaurenceGriffiths/Allsport)

Glenn Hoddle handed Saints' caretaker boss Stuart Gray a team who had posted five straight wins and were unbeaten in seven, without a goal conceded.

Yesterday, after being spanked soundly by Ipswich Town at The Dell earlier in the week, Gray's side were lucky to escape a second hiding.

The Leeds opener, in the 10th minute, was the first of the year for Harry Kewell, who has been recovering from an achilles tendon injury.

The Australian struck hard with his left boot from fully 25 yards. The surprise was that goalkeeper Paul Jones allowed the shot to zip over his outstretched arm.

Kewell featured again with a finely timed foray to confound the Saints' offside operation in the 38th minute. But Dean Richards blocked his goalbound attempt after the Leeds forward had shimmied delightfully around Jones.

When the Aussie squared the rebound to Robbie Keane, Claus Lundekvam executed a similar rescue.

Leeds finally put the issue beyond doubt after 72 minutes as a long Ian Harte clearance was collected by livewire Keane, who finished superbly with an exquisite lob over the stranded Jones.

Leeds eased off, having ensured a 10th Premiership game without defeat.

But there was to be no consolation for Southampton, even when Richards forced the ball home at the far post two minutes from time. He was judged offside.

Having exceeded all expectations in the Champions League this season, Leeds have now accelerated smoothly to third place in the Premiership - which would guarantee their presence again among Europe's elite next season.

Manager David O'Leary said: 'It was a great finish for us to a very tough week. We were in the bottom half of the Premiership at the turn of the year because we had a lot of players out injured. Now we are having a good run because a lot of those players are available again.

'But we have dropped 20 points at home this season so it has to be a bit of a surprise that we have now reached the top three.'

Without Hoddle at the helm, Southampton already appear to have lost their way and the new Spurs manager was lambasted by Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale for his decision to quit.

The outspoken Ridsdale, a powerful member of the FA executive committee said: 'Without wishing to appear naive, I feel that any manager who believes contracts are only to be honoured by one party isn't worth employing in the first place.'

Writing in the Leeds club programme for yesterday's game, Ridsdale declared: 'Managers can be very quick to ask to be paid up if a club dismisses them but are quick to ignore their side of the contract if a better offer comes up.

'Whatever the rights and wrongs of this specific case, I believe Southampton can feel let down by their ex-manager.'