Chris Brunskill/Getty ImagesDespite losing Steven N'zonzi to a red card, Stoke rallied to tie Southampton

What a game. Another example of why the Premier League is up there with the best in the world. Saturday was a goalfest all across the fixtures, but it would be difficult for any of the other games to compete with the feast that served up at the Britannia Stadium in a compelling 3-3 draw.

Stoke were fresh off of completely outclassing Liverpool just days before, and with their impressive form, unbeaten run and meanness at the back nobody gave Saints a chance. Me included, if I'm honest.

I expected to see Saints play their usual lineup, usual tactics and become the latest victims of Stoke's very 'Stoke way' of playing, rolling over to the directness and the roughhousing. But Nigel Adkins surprised me somewhat with the shrewdness of his team selection. Jos Hooiveld and Guly were brought in for their height, and Gaston Ramirez fell victim to the tactical axe (and rightly so, for all his genius this was about retaining the ball).

Reverting to 4-4-2 looked like a stroke of genius, but no one was expecting what unfolded in the first 45 minutes. Saints bossed Stoke, by playing like Stoke. The combined play of Guly, Jay Rodriguez, Jason Puncheon and Rickie Lambert up top was way too much for the home sides back four and Saints raced into a 3-1 lead. It really had been a masterclass by Saints, and the home fans were experiencing the frustration that their own side usually causes the opposition as Saints went direct and aggressive at their opposite numbers.

Jack Cork and Morgan Schneiderlin were in complete control of the midfield and the Saints back four looked resolute, no quarter given as they threw themselves into every challenge.

But. Somebody once said that football was a game of two halves, and as a Saints fan you never quite feel safe. Stoke City were excellent in the second period, back to their relentless, ruthless best. Peppering the Saints goal with long ball after long ball, it always looked like a vulnerable time for Saints.

Guly do Prado, quite possibly Saints best player on the day, missed an open goal that should have put the game beyond doubt, and Rodriguez should have also scored, but the rest of this half was all about the home side.

They pulled it back to 2-3, but then Saints got another possible boost as Steven N'zonzi was given his marching orders. Tony Pulis laughably questioned the sending off after the game and said he would appeal, but it was a horror tackle, N'zonzi having chased Cork down in temper for being dispossessed he tried to stamp on the Saints midfielder long after the ball had gone. Pure fluke that he didn't make contact, and 100 percent intentional.

This seemed to galvanise Stoke though, and if anything they played even better with ten. Now for something of a petty sticking point about refereeing consistency from me. Cameron Jerome, having already been booked for dissent, went through on goal, knowing full well he was offside and after the whistle had gone, kicked the ball into the net anyway.

At any other time I wouldn't have even blinked, but just minutes before Mark Clattenburg had booked Rodriguez for the exact same thing. Should Jerome have been sent off? It would be harsh, but if Clattenburg was being consistent then he should have been.

Of course then it was Jerome who hit the equaliser and what a strike. A goal of the season contender. Again I could be petty and mention Peter Crouch's handball in the buildup (when did Crouch become a cheat, by the way?), but in truth Stoke should have had at least one, if not two penalties in the second half.

The home side were full value for their point, and in fact looked the more likely to win in the end. Saints can walk away with a lot of positives, though. Nobody goes to Stoke and bosses them like Saints did in the first half, and nobody scores three goals there, either.

Before the game, I said every Saints fan would have taken a point. Although it felt like two points dropped in the end, it is still a decent result on the road. There is also plenty to think about on the negative side. Holding a lead is an issue, and the goalkeeping problem isn't solved. I love Kelvin Davis, but he was erratic yesterday and his distribution is horrifically bad.

A home game against Arsenal to think about now. We went to Stoke, played like Stoke, and nearly beat Stoke. Arsenal hate Stoke. Hmmmm. . . .

Keep the faith.

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