Saints take on the Blades this afternoon needing to be careful to not slip up against a team that have lost every game bar one with the worst start to a Premier League season after 11 games, this is about being clinical and not complacent.

It would be easy to go into this game assuming that by 2pm we will have despatched them as we did 5 months ago in the final game of last season.

But we should remember that game wasn't easy and we could easily have been 3-0 down at half time instead of only the single goal that we were, a great second half display saw us take all three points and we need to repeat that final 45 minutes of the season for the full 90 minutes this afternoon.

This is the first game of a hectic run of 6 games in only 20 days, it is vital we get off to a good start, we need to start with our strongest side, keep it tight against a side who rely on keeping sides out rather than scoring goals themselves.

We saw that 5 months ago when they kept catching us on the break and could so easily have buried us before half time, we have to ensure that we are not caught on the counter attack and that is the worry, Sheffield United more than any side this season will be sitting on their own penalty area and parking the bus and looking to get forward not frequently but when they do fast.

They will be looking to get that goal and then assure that we don't get one back, they may have lost 10 out of the 11 games played, but they have rarely been beaten well, 8 out of their 10 defeats have been only by the single goal, the other two being a 2-0 defeat at home to Wolves on the opening weekend and then a 4-1 drubbing at Chelsea.

They will sit back and invite us on, we don't like playing sides like that.

I think that Ralph Hasenhuttl doesn't have much to think about today other than who plays out wide, Danny Ings will surely start this game, although it would not surprise me if we kept him in reserve first half, but if he does start then Ralph has to consider who is his wide men, he has to perm 2 from 4 and it isn't quite as clear cut as some would think

Stuart Armstrong to me has been lacking a yard of pace since his return from Covid 19, so could be rested for this one ahead of a trip to Arsenal where his qualities will be needed more, on the left side, it is trickier, Moussa Djenpo would offer flair and trickiness, Nathan Redmond would offer discipline and a better partnership with Ryan Bertrand, it is tricky.

I think Ralph will ultimately go for Armstrong on the right and Walcott on the left, but I just have the feeling it could be Walcott on the right and Redmond on the left.

The important thing is 3 points, that will guaranteed us 4th spot come the end of the weekend and could even mean 4th.

It will be good to see fans back in the stadium this afternoon albeit only 2,000, now is the time to look back at least season and indeed several seasons before and take stock that at times the crowd at St Mary's has not been conducive to the team getting a result , it hasn't been hostile or abusive, but the collective sighs could be off putting.

We have the chance to start from scratch, lets go back to St Mary's with pride about what has been achieved since the last time any fans were present, lets celebrate that and show the team that we appreciate it.

Some people were adamant that loyalty had no place in allocating tickets, that every season ticket holder is equally deserving of a place, this afternoon some of those people will get the chance to show that it is true.

Photo: Action Images

Southampton Polls