It was a mixed bag of results on Tuesday night, but Leeds defeat at Sunderland does give Saints the chance to go level on points with the Yorkshire club as well as put distance again between us and 7th.

Southampton make their first visit to Coventry City in 12 years when they travel to The Coventry Building Society Stadium this evening, they meet a Coventry side who are in a run of form that has seen them pull clear of the relegation battle and harbour hopes of challenging for promotion again.

From a Southampton perspective it is about getting back to winning ways, in any other season we would perhaps be in the top 2 with 38 points from 20 games, but this is not any other season.

So the big question is what changes Russell Martin will make, I would not expect any in the goalkeeper or back four, but certainly in the midfield where Flynn Downes should return after illness that forced him to miss the game with Watford, indeed I see only two probably changes with the other one being Charley Alcatraz who was poor at Vicarage Road.

Taking Downes return first, Joe Aribo deputised and had a good game, so it would be harsh on him to be dropped, so this will be an interesting decision.

Replacing Alacaraz is also complicated, Ryan Fraser did well after coming on at Watford and would be the obvious choice, but in his previous games in the starting line up he has not been as impressive as he has been coming off the bench.

So for Saints although the team selection might not be clear, the task ahead is simple, keep the unbeaten run going and not just that win and win well.

The one disappointment is that we are yet to really give someone a real tonking, some are critical of this and say that it is because we play tippy tappy football and don't try to kill the game off, I don't necessarily agree, we create chances, we just don't seem to be able to finish them off. as was the case at Watford when their keeper made a superb save from Ryan Frazer that made a difference come the final whistle.

This is going to be a season of attrition, it's a case of just keeping going, it's not going to be about individual games, just keeping plugging away and hoping that those above us drop points.

If we can get 3 points tonight then we will have gained a point over Leeds this week and that is a small victory if we can achieve it.

This is a game that we can win and we need to settle a few nerves by doing so ahead of a busy Xmas programme.

Photo: Action Images

highfield49 added 11:17 - Dec 13 Every week those home losses to Ipswich and Leicester seem to magnify in their significance. We've been playing catch up ever since and huge credit to the players and coaches for the results subsequently achieved. Fingers crossed that the three teams above us lose matches to some of the current form teams. With the likes of QPR winning their last three games and Sheffield Wednesday winning their last two it's equally fair to say that Coventry having lost only one of their last five games are not going to roll over this evening. Provided we can maintain current form the Christmas fixtures featuring Leeds v Ipswich and Ipswich v Leicester should be beneficial to our prospects. The potentially difficult games that Leeds have to play at Preston and West Brom could also help our cause. Whatever might be said about concentrating on your own fixtures is fair comment but we can't move up the table unless our competitors drop points. Three points this evening at Coventry are really important because without them our promotion rivals are not being put under any additional pressure.

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Bowlercow added 13:56 - Dec 13 12 unbeaten Let's see if 13 is an unlucky mumber Coventry are no pushover They can be quite aggressive both in defense and going forward A player like Aribo could be useful but Downes has also got to play
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