Southampton climbed to second in the Premier League as they continued their superb start by claiming a fourth consecutive home win.

Stoke proved tougher opposition than Sunderland, who theSaints hammered 8-0 last week.

But a first goal for Senegal forward Sadio Mane since his£11.8m deadline-day move from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg secured victory.

Stoke remain without a win at Southampton since 1980.

The Potters were always second best against a Saints side clearly high on confidence following their flying start to the campaign.

Mane, 22, struck from 10 yards just past the half-hour mark, thumping the ball in after Graziano Pelle's low drive had rebounded off the post.

He had a goal against Sunderland taken off him by the Premier League's dubious goals panel but there could be no doubt about this strike.

Mane, who scored 45 goals in 87 games in Austria, is one of several new players bought in by Ronald Koeman after a summer where the club lost so many of its star talents.

And fellow recent recruits Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic also caught the eye.

Pelle, who went into the game on a run of seven goals in eight matches, hit the woodwork again when a second-half header came back off the post.

Tadic was a thorn in Stoke's side throughout, twisting and turning his way past defenders on regular occasions.

Morgan Schneiderlin, one of the few big-name players not to leave Saints in the close season after beingdenied a move to Tottenham, clipped the crossbar with a powerful effort from a well-worked corner as the home side controlled proceedings.

Once the early running of Victor Moses petered out, Stoke looked blunt in attack and the closest they came was a Peter Crouch header which flew high and wide. It was a frustrating afternoon for Crouch, who had a spell at St Mary's 10 years ago.

Saints face successive games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United in November and December, which will test managerKoeman's claim that they can finish in the top four this season, but, for now, their season is going from strength to strength.

Five years ago they had just hosted MK Dons in League One. Now they are above reigning champions Manchester City in the table and have more clean sheets than any other Premier League side - five.

Stoke, meanwhile, will need to improve an away record which has yielded just one win all season, albeitat the Etihad Stadium,

The sides do not have long until they meet again - Southampton travel to Stoke in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman:

"I think we played a very good first half. It was more difficult second half. Stoke changed their system and we didn't control like we had before. But we still had eight opportunities to score.

"We will enjoy being second because it isn't normal, because there are other teams with maybe more qualities. But the team deserves this position because they work hard every day.

"We'd like to stay second. Nothing is impossible."

Stoke boss Mark Hughes:

"We are disappointed because in the first half we were a little bit apprehensive in our play, maybe a consequence of Southampton's great result last time out. We showed them too much respect.

"We were better in the second half, got a little bit of control of the game, and you saw by the reaction of the Southampton crowd at the end that they knew we were pushing to get back on level terms.

"Credit to Southampton, they are on a great run and it was always going to be a difficult game for us."