New Southampton manager Mark Hughes will look to lead the club to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in his first match in charge when the Premier League strugglers face League One high-flyers Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium on Sunday.
A 3-0 defeat in what looked to be a must-win top flight clash against Newcastle United last weekend saw Mauricio Pellegrino relieved of his duties, and it was a long time coming considering Saints have now won just one of their last 17 league games.
That crushing loss left them just one point above the relegation zone with eight matches remaining, and they look to be in real danger of dropping into the Championship given the fact that five of those fixtures are away, while they also have to host Chelsea and Manchester City at St Mary’s.
Hughes, who took his first training session on Thursday, will know the tough task that lies ahead of him, but first he will look to receive a confidence booster in the most famous domestic cup competition in the world, with an opportunity for the south coast outfit to reach the last four for the first time since they got to the final in 2003.
It certainly won’t be an easy task against the Latics however, who remain on course for automatic promotion to the Championship and have already seen off Premier League opposition in Bournemouth, West Ham United and Manchester City in the FA Cup on their own patch this season.
Pellegrino made two changes from the side that drew with Stoke City at St Mary’s for the long trip to St James’ Park last weekend, and following such a disappointing display where some players appeared to give up, Hughes will be thinking about making changes to the XI on Sunday.
Here is how Southampton must line up against Wigan, ahead of Alex McCarthy in goal…
Pellegrino’s first-choice back four in recent weeks has been Cedric Soares, Jack Stephens, Wesley Hoedt and Ryan Bertrand, and unless any of them pick up knocks in the build up to the match then Hughes should stick with them.
While the full-backs’ spots look to be particularly safe, the return of Maya from injury could throw a spanner into the works at the DW Stadium, but the new Southampton boss should look to go with the quartet that have played together consistently in 2018.
Pellegrino decided to drop Oriol Romeu for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at St James’ Park with the Spaniard one yellow card away from a two-match ban, and just because he has generally looked a little off the pace in recent weeks.
It was probably the right decision by the Argentine boss, but both the Dane and central midfield partner Mario Lemina had a nightmare in the first-half against Newcastle, and must improve significantly at the DW Stadium.
Hughes shouldn’t risk playing Romeu given he will be needed in the Premier League, while the 54-year-old should finally look to move away from the 4-2-3-1 system that has proved so unsuccessful this term.
Instead he should go with more of a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Nathan Redmond and youngster Josh Sims, who the fans have been impressed with in recent weeks, on the wings to bring pace and a counter-attacking threat against the League One high-flyers.
Too often this season under Pellegrino the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 system was left far too isolated, and it is something that Hughes must look to change in their final nine matches this season.
Despite failing to score in his first eight appearances for the club, the Welsh manager should keep the faith with club-record buy Guido Carrillo up top at the DW Stadium because of the physical presence he has, but he should look to play Manolo Gabbiadini, who the fans are desperate to see start matches, alongside him to try and bring that added attacking threat.
That change would see Dusan Tadic drop to the substitutes’ bench, and the Serbia international could have few arguments seeing as he hasn’t been performing at his best over the course of the last 18 months, and was taken off at half-time against Newcastle last weekend.
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