GRAZIANO Pelle remains sidelined for tomorrow’s FA Cup third round against Crystal Palace at St Mary’s but could be back for the huge Premier League match against Watford on Wednesday.

Top-scorer Pelle has been absent with a knee injury for the last three games but will be pushing for a return against the Hornets in midweek.

There is positive news on Cedric Soares, the right-back, who is available for the Palace match after injury ruled him out for three weeks.

Manager Ronald Koeman also delivered his verdict on the return to action of goalkeeper Fraser Forster this week, after a nine-month injury lay-off with a patellar tendon injury.

The former Celtic stopper will play for Saints Under-21s at Staplewood on Monday against Liverpool and then be considered for first-team selection.

“Of course, first of all, [I am] very pleased after nine months that Fraser did his first game,” he said.

“[He is] on a good level. Of course, you see in some situations but that’s all about rhythm and game minutes, but it is too soon for him in my opinion [for him to be ready to play against Palace].

“He will play Monday again with the under-21s and, okay, after that I will have discussions about our goalkeepers, what we have to do and finally the best will start but that discussion we will start for next Monday.”

Meanwhile, Victor Wanyama will serve the first of his two-match ban against Palace after his dismissal at Norwich last weekend.

Koeman, who deemed the Kenyan’s sending off as “unnecessary”, explained that he had spoken to Wanyama about his contduct and is satisfied with the other options available to him for the Palace match.

He hasn’t ruled out selecting youngster Harrison Reed.

“That’s a possibility,” he said when asked about Reed. “We have other players as well. Romeu was suspended last week and he’s back, we have Clasie, we have Prowsey, we have Reed.

“We have also in our midfield a lot of competition.”