Ronald Koeman expects to make few changes to his side despite facing a testing three games in the space of a week.

Saints welcome Stoke to St Mary’s in the Premier League tomorrow before facing them again next Wednesday at the Britannia Stadium in the Capital One Cup. They then return to league action again with a trip to Hull next Saturday.

It’s a taxing period for Saints, and potentially a tricky one for Koeman.

He does not want to choose between prioritising their successful start to the league season and the Capital One Cup, which provides a realistic chance of silverware.

But he also does not have a hugely deep squad of players to choose from.

Therefore the chances are that the bulk of the side will remain unchanged for the three games, which is in contrast to the way the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and several managers before him handled things.

Koeman’s ways though are clearly working and are hugely popular with the players, and so he will call it as he sees fit.

He said: “First of all the most important is the first one.

“It’s a little bit strange because we played two times against Stoke, Saturday at home and next Wednesday away for the League Cup, and then Hull City away.

“We like to win them all.

“In that case I will maybe do some changes for next Wednesday, but you know me until now and I don’t make a lot of changes in the team because we don’t have that group of players and we like to win.

“Normally it’s possible to do two or three maximum changes but after Saturday, first we have to play Saturday and that’s the most important and what happens after Saturday we will see.”

Saints have no fresh injury worries for tomorrow’s game against Stoke with the bandwagon still rolling after a great start to the season.

“It’s normal because everybody is a human person and the job of the coach is to keep everybody in his quality and with confidence that they are free in playing. That is also an important quality we have, not to be afraid,” reflected Koeman.

“It’s football, and football is to enjoy and that’s easier than if you win.

“If you lose there’s more pressure but that’s football.

“We have to be ourselves and the players know what we like to do and keep going, nothing more special.”