The big question between now and 3pm on Saturday is whether Virgil Van Dijk should be in the starting XI against Manchester United at St Mary's.

Maurico Pellegrino has some tough thinking to do ahead of the visit of Manchester United, he has to decide whether Virgil Van Dijk is ready to start the game or should again be on the bench.

The options available to the manager are firstly to leave the back four as it started against Palace at the weekend, the case for would be that Yoshida has put in 100% effort in recent weeks including the trip to Palace and has done nothing wrong, he does not deserve to be dropped. Add to that the fact that Van Dijk will still be short of match fitness and it could make sense.

But alternatively it cannot be denied that Van Dijk is a much better player than the Japanese defender, is a 90% match sharp Van Dijk better than a 100% Yoshida ? There are many that would say yes and to take emotion out of it, if Van Dijk had not had the issues of the past few months and was back in the frame after injury then this could well have been the vote for most Saints fans, so from this pount of view if we take the emotion out of the decision, then Van Dijk should start if the manager is satisfied that his fitness and attitude are right.

A third option would be to start with a back three as Pellegrino finished the game with on Saturday with Van Dijk slotting in the middle between Yoshida and Hoedt, again this has its merits, but perhaps the biggest arguement against is that it is relatively untried by the personel that would be asked to play it, only 13 minutes against a Palace side who by that side were a spent force is a lot different to facing United.

These three options would perhaps be the choices that most Saints fans would think that the manager might make, however he also has Jack Stephens in the mix and there are those that although would not pick Stephens before either Yoshida or Hoedt in a back four might prefer him to start in a back three before Van Dijk.

So what is your choice, cast your vote in our online poll using the link below and give your opinion in the comments box.

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/209314/should-van-dijk-

Photo: Action Images

brownk added 18:17 - Sep 19 So play a player who doesn't want to be at the club in the hope of getting a result and don't worry about the long term damage it does to those players who are left out and who have stepped up when VVD was sat in his arse sulking! Great for team morale & spirit! He is going to leave eventually so stick with the players who have stepped up in his absence!
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leighsaint added 18:46 - Sep 19 Have to start with three centre backs VVD Hoelt Yoshida. Cedric and Bertrand as wing backs Gabby and Long up front Fraser in goal Roseau and Lemina in front of back three and a toss up of Tadic JWP Davis Redmond or Boufal
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leighsaint added 18:47 - Sep 19 Have to start with three centre backs VVD Hoelt Yoshida. Cedric and Bertrand as wing backs Gabby and Long up front Fraser in goal Roseau and Lemina in front of back three and a toss up of Tadic JWP Davis Redmond or Boufal
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halftimeorange added 19:13 - Sep 19 I would also add that some people contributing to this site do not think VVD should play - so what was all the fuss about this summer? The EPL is a business and millions of pounds ride on the outcome of games. Saints didn't sell Van Dijk because he's our best player and, for once, the club was able to keep his reins on. Like it or not he's still here and if his presence adds a few extra points to our season's tally so well and good. I doubt he's bothered by the threat of boos.

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Cjay80 added 20:33 - Sep 19 Yes
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Cjay80 added 20:50 - Sep 19 Yes
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SaintBrock added 21:10 - Sep 19 No way are we going to mess about with a back three system against United simply because of our lack of familiarity with the system. Our only realistic chance of a result will be to play keep ball better than them and hope that Lemina, Rpmeu & Davis can boss the mid-field, which is not an impossible ask. I reckon Yoshi is big enough and tough enough to control Lukaku, he's certainly not afraid to put the boot in and rarely unfairly; you know how it is with strikers they so easily chuck in the towel when the going gets tough as we have seen with our own lads! This one to name has 3-0 to Saints written all over it and no sign of vD.

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warrens76 added 09:32 - Sep 20 @jesus02...what a good line up!
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Scoot added 22:33 - Sep 22 If Vvd is fit to play we must play him. There is a good reason why all the so called bigger clubs want him. I'd also give Long and Gabbi a start together and drop Redmond.
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