A big big game for Nathan Jones who has to take his team to West London rock bottom of the Premier League and take on a Fulham side who know a win will see them go 13 points clear of Saints and only a couple of wins away from Premier League safety.
It's only officially Nathan Jones second game in charge of Saints in the League, but already the knives are out for him and Southampton supporters are questioning his ability to manage in the Premier League.
They cite the fact that as he approaches two months in the job and working with virtually a full squad during the World Cup break, that we appear a team with no direction and seemingly unable to work out just what the manager wants.
Those that wanted Ralph Hasenhuttl out are seeing that the grass is not always greener on the other side, the Austrian's side may have lacked something at times, but they didn't lack team spirit and those that have seen Jones's two games in charge since the break, see a disjointed side who lack just about everything a good football team needs.
However they also see players who have the potential and are just not showing it and there are some who feel that although he has managed only three games for Southampton FC that he has had a lot of time to coach his squad but has not not connected with it.
Comparisons are being made with Paul Sturrock who although took over for the final part of the 2003/04 season was sacked only a few games into the following season as it was felt he was clearly out of his depth.
Jones's accusers level this at him, and also claim he has an arrogance that his career so far has no right to have, they say that if we are to stay up then Sport Republic have to act now rather than later and bite the bullet and make the change.
The reality is that this game has taken on an immense significance, if Jones wins it suddenly it will look a lot different, it could pull Saints out of the bottom 3 and more importantly get them within hitting distance of those in mid table.
But lose it and we are in big big trouble and really should not be and to be blunt it will turn the situation toxic, on a manager who are sizable proportion of the fan base have already decided isn't up to the job.
Certainly Jones seems to have lacked man management skills, some public statements about his players, should really have been kept behind closed doors, public comments about not knowing who his current number 1 keeper is did little for Gavin Bazunu's confidence and we paid the price for that against Brighton.
Also players who were our best performers pre Jones, now seem to be out of favour and that does not bode well for not only the squad spirit, but also the manager's judgement.
God knows what side or formation the manager will play, in goal I would not be surprised to see Alex McCarthy return, but after that James Ward Prowse and to a lesser extent Che Adams, there is literally no one else from the defeat to Brighton who is guaranteed to start in this one.
Personally I think it has to be about putting square pegs in square holes and playing our best players, keep it simple 4-4-2, a formation that the team know, Armando Bella-Kotchap, Sytuart Armstrong and hopefully Romeo Lavia would make a hell of a difference.
My worry is that this is too simple for Jones, he has that arrogance that seems to say he has to do something different, when in this position it is all about doing the basics.
By Saturday night we will either be seeing chinks of light at the end of the tunnel, or we will be in perhaps the most toxic situation the club has ever known.