The win fell one goal short of Manchester United's record 9-0 triumph over Ipswich in 1995 and maintained the south coast club's remarkable start to the season under manager Ronald Koeman.
"I'm still in a little bit in shock," said the Dutchman, who began the campaign fending off suggestions his side would be likely relegation candidates after selling a number of last season's best performers.
Saturday's demolition, the latest evidence to confound the doom-laden predictions swirling round the club in the close season, left Southampton third in the table on 16 points, six behind leaders Chelsea.
In the opposite dugout to Koeman, however, a red-faced Poyet was forced to apologise to the travelling fans who witnessed a 3-0 halftime deficit turn into a humiliating rout.
"It's the most embarrassing time I've had on a football pitch," Poyet said.
"You think you will never get these situations but unfortunately it is sometimes your turn. I feel very sorry for the fans, they came a long way to see a very difficult game today."
While he chose not to name and shame, Poyet pointed the finger of blame for the embarrassing margin of defeat at those of his players, who gave up as the goal tally started to mount.
"I learned a lot about the players today -- the bad side as some gave up and I know who they are for the future," said Poyet, who will be acutely aware that defeats of this magnitude often make club chairmen think hard about whether they have the right manager for the job.
"I cannot watch it again because it's not a lot to analyse. We were a difficult team to play before today but it was totally the opposite. As a group we didn't show the character to be on the pitch."
Southampton's top scorer Graziano Pelle was among seven names on the scoresheet, netting twice to take his tally for the season to six.
The Italian, who was named Premier League player of the month on Friday, while Koeman picked up the manager's award, has come to symbolise the club's astute manoeuvring in the transfer market.
Having sold their attacking axis of Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana to Liverpool, Pelle was recruited from Feyenoord in the Netherlands for a reported fee of 8 million pounds ($12.9 million), and has become an overnight star.
He scored on his international debut for Italy this week, netted twice in a win over Newcastle United and hit a spectacular overhead winner against Queens Park Rangers.
Koeman praised his side's ambition and, perversely on a day when they have scored eight goals, chose to single out his defence for keeping a clean sheet.
"The clean sheet is important," he said. "We have a strong defence and a superb goalkeeper and you have to look at the attackers when we don't have the ball because it is superb organisation."
(Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Ed Osmond)
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