Claude Puel has already stated that he intends to make changes when his team are playing three times a week, but right now he seems to have a limited amount of wiggle room.

The Saints boss is in a delicate position.

He really needs some wins to kick start the season, which usually would mean fielding the very strongest side you have at your disposal.

But he also cannot afford performance levels to dip and risk results due to that because players struggle with what is a very demanding run of fixtures.

After four games without a victory, Puel knows this is the perfect time to release the pressure valve.

While Saints do have a Thursday-Sunday combination for the first time this season, both matches are at home.

With due respect too, they are facing Sparta Prague and Swansea, who are not going to be anywhere near the best teams they play during this campaign.

It seems very much like a chance to really get the season going and for Puel to finally build up a bit of momentum.

Put simply, two victories in a matter of days to put Saints in a strong early position to qualify from their group in the Europa League and move them into midtable in the top flight would make the atmosphere around St Mary’s a lot happier. The alternative is not as palatable.

With that backdrop in mind, Puel’s stated faith in the depth of his squad will really be tested now.

If he does indeed really believe in them all, then he will make wholesale changes to keep things fresh. If he does not and sticks with those he knows for sure he can rely and hopes they stay fit and fresh, it tells a story also.

Puel has given himself a small amount of room for manoeuvre after his team selection for the game at Arsenal, but it’s not much.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg only played 26 minutes, James Ward-Prowse ten minutes, Shane Long one half – Jay Rodriguez had the other - and Charlie Austin not at all.

Those are four front line first teamers who can all freshen things up.

Put them in for Sparta, and maybe even change a couple back for Swansea, and you have the start of a bit of squad rotation.

It might be a bit harder in defence.

You sense there is very much a first choice back four.

We know that Cuco Martina was not in Puel’s plans as he almost got sold to Everton so from the manager’s point of view using him instead of Cedric Soares is a significant change.

Ryan Bertrand came straight back into the side for Matt Targett, while Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk are being backed up by Maya Yoshida and Florin Gardos.

Do you want to break the Fonte and van Dijk pairing by fielding one of them for each game, is it better to play them both for one match and then stick out Yoshida and Gardos for the other, or do you stay with them and hope?

While Yoshida has proven himself as a stand-in, Gardos has been out for a long time through injury, which makes it a potentially dicey decision.

Up top, Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond have been bright sparks. If they aren’t to play every game then you need a rethink.

This was always going to be a hard equation for Saints no matter what was going on, and it is a good problem to have. It is European football.

The underlying issue is the need for results as they don’t have the fall back they would have wanted because of the two home draws against Watford and Sunderland.

It will be intriguing, and very telling, to see what Puel does.