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Saints At Crystal Palace The Preview
Friday, 31st Aug 2018 16:46

Saints look to follow up the win at Brighton by winning at Crystal Palace, they have the squad it just needs to start playing to it's potential.

Saints head to Selhurst Park apparently with only one injury worry Danny Ings with a sore foot, so Mark Hughes has a dilemma assuming Ings is not fit to start.

Up front at The Amex on Tuesday Manolo Gabbiadini was often isolated from the game and rarely got a goal scoring opportunity, but Charlie Austin scored and looked hungry for the ball and Sam Gallagher showed enough enthusiasm to suggest that he might be worth a shout from the bench.

Nathan Redmond also looked sharp and had a confidence about him that he has lacked for some time now and he looks likely to start.

If Hughes opts for a back four then he will probably revert back to the one that played against Leicester, although with Matt Targett having a decent game against Brighton, he could opt to play Targett or even Ryan Bertrand at right back with the other at left and drop Cedric who has looked off the pace in the past couple of games.

Targett, Gallagher, Redmond & Austin all gave a good account of themselves at Brighton, alongside new signings Armstrong & Elyounoussibut apart from them I don't think anyone else really pushed themselves into Mark Hughes thinking so I suspect he will line up his team as follows.

McCarthy

Cedric Hoedt Vestergaard Bertrand

Elyounoussi Lemina Hojbjerg Armstrong Redmond

Austin

The bench should be strong, Gunn, Bednarek, Targett Ward Prowse, Romeu, Long, Ings (if fit if not Gabbiadini or Gallagher)

Saints really need a win to get this season underway, Mark Hughes has struggled so far this season to get his side playing with confidence and that has led to some very slow starts in games where we seem to be afraid to go full pelt at sides for fear of getting caught on the break from set pieces, we really need the confidence that a win would bring us.

So far we have played the teams that finished 7th 8th and 9th last season, as hard a start as you could get without meeting one of the big six, now we need to find that confidence and put a winning run together to make sure that we don't face another season looking over our shoulder.

Photo: Action Images

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bornonthemiltonroad added 21:01 - Aug 31 Wonâ€™t Hojbjerg be serving a ban?
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DPeps added 09:56 - Sep 1 Bornon - no, he served the ban in midweek
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Abbosaint added 10:56 - Sep 1 No place then for your favourite player, Yoshida!
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