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Southampton V Tottenham Hotspur The Preview

Ralph Hasenhuttl is set to ring the changes as his team play the second game of the festive period and covid issues take their toll, Spurs are on a roll coming into this game, can Saints take a big step forward.

Saints haven't won their last of a calendar year since beating Huddersfield Town in 2010, so the odds of them beating Tottenham don't look good, especially as the North London Soccer Chickens are in good form since changing manager.

But Saints themselves have been hard to beat of late and after the win at West Ham their confidence is rising.

Nathan Tella, Jack Stephens & Lyanco all missed that game through Covid but Tella will be available for this game.

The main changes will be in midfield or up front, Che Adams and both Armstrong's are back in contention and the temptation must be there to rest Broja who took a battering against the Hammers.

Ralph has to decide who needs a rest with the game that really counts being Newcastle in the New Year.

The game is a sell out, but whether everyone will turn up is another question, at West Ham on Boxing Day the stadium was half empty and later that day Brighton also played in an Amex stadium that was more than half empty.

For some the hassle of attending the game might be too much and for others they just won't want to risk catching Covid.

Whatever the result today though Saints have had an ok first half of the season, with 20 points on the board they have foundations to build on for the second half of the season, there is a feeling that this side has underperformed yet they are still comfortably mid table.

Getting something out of this game would be a real bonus, but I think Ralph will be focusing on resting some key players ahead of the Newcastle game, the good news though is the calibre of players he will be bringing in to the side, the second half of last season saw us stretched to the limit and having to play kids, this season although we have been stretched, we have still put out strong benches and this will hopefully see us through.

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