Southampton's not-so-subtle Newcastle United dig isn't ageing well

The DJ at the St Mary’s Stadium had a special half-time playlist for relegation-threatened Newcastle United’s visit in March.

And it wasn’t hard to recognise the theme.

Southampton and Newcastle were level at 1-1 at the break – and the DJ got to work.

Dirty Cash, Loaded, Price Tag, Can't Buy Me Love and Money, Money, Money were played during the interval.

The set list no doubt raised a smile among the home support – but Souhampton fans weren’t laughing after the break.

Three of United’s January signings combined as Eddie Howe’s team took the lead.

A Matt Targett cross was headed back across goal by Dan Burn, and Bruno Guimaraes – the club’s most expensive mid-season recruit – scored with a stunning backwards flick.

Newcastle, 19th when Eddie Howe took over last November, went on to finish 11th in the Premier League.

United are fourth in the table ahead of Sunday's game against Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium – and there will be more new signings on the pitch.

And the narrative for some outside Tyneside is that the club, which spent around £122million on players in the summer, is buying success.

Yet seven top-flight clubs, according to Transfermarkt data, had a higher gross spend than Newcastle.

In any case, a significant portion of the spend so far under new ownership – the club is now 80%-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund following last October’s £305million takeover – is addressing the underspend of the final Ashley years.

The broader point is that United’s success so far under Howe is down to coaching.

Howe and his staff are getting more out of the players, like Miguel Almiron, Fabian Schar and Sean Longstaff, they inherited.

Yes, the likes of Guimaraes and Trippier have made a massive impact, but the club’s spending is only part of the story of the past 12 months.

The club again has an on-pitch identity. Howe’s players put a phenomenal physical effort into every game.

They press high and hard. They’re attacking and defending as a unit, and fans are dreaming of a return to Europe after a nine-year absence from UEFA competitions.

You can’t simply buy that in the transfer market.

And what’s happening at United is not all about the money.