SAINTS manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has the option to make a fair amount of rotation in the FA Cup fourth round clash with Coventry City on Saturday.
The Austrian has been clear in his message of taking the cup seriously and in identifying the threat that Coventry pose under popular boss Mark Robins.
However, with two tough away trips versus Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United coming up next week he may have little choice but to give a few names a runout and ensure fresh legs.
Such is the strength of Saints’ squad this season that he can still put out a highly fancied XI and retain some of his more experienced seniors for the next week.
Only Alex McCarthy and Nathan Tella have been ruled out, with no COVID concerns, while Tino Livramento and Will Smallbone have returned to training following their injuries.
With everything Hasenhuttl has said in the build-up to the match, here is how we think he will set out his team on Saaturday…
Formation: 4-2-2-2
Goalkeeper
It looks like a perfect game to give Willy Caballero some more minutes, although Hasenhuttl opted for Fraser Forster last time out in the FA Cup as well.
Defence
Yan Valery will hope for the opportunity to make amends for his last cup appearance. The Frenchman was sent off in the first-half at Swansea and made that third round tie harder than it needed to be.
Lyanco and Jack Stephens are also in line to get some minutes while youngster Thierry Small could make a debut at left-back but it seems unlikely from the start, which could see Romain Perraud afforded another start.
Tino Livramento is on his way to a return but I fancy he and Kyle Walker-Peters both to be rested ahead of Spurs and Manchester United in the following seven days.
Midfield
Captain James Ward-Prowse will partner Ibrahima Diallo in midfield. Meanwhile, Nathan Redmond and Moi Elyounoussi both scored in the previous round and should get another start here at St Mary’s.
Oriol Romeu and Stuart Armstrong etcetera to be afforded breaks ahead of next week, while Nathan Tella is injured. Will Smallbone could make a substitute appearance on his return from a calf injury.
Attack
Shane Long was exceptional in the win over Swansea and has not featured yet so is likely to get a full run out on this occasion. Adam Armstrong looks like a perfect partner for this one, with his experience scoring against Championship sides last season as well as being a former Coventry City loanee while on the books at Newcastle.
Full predicted Saints XI:
Caballero; Valery, Stephens, Lyanco, Perraud; Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Redmond, Elyounoussi; A Armstrong, Long.
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