PIERRE-Emile Hojbjerg has returned home to Denmark after the birth of his first child - and will therefore be absent at Crystal Palace tomorrow.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been given time off to celebrate the birth of his daughter with his family in his homeland.

He will return on Monday, so will miss the Premier League early kick-off at Selhurst Park.

Hojbjerg has not been included in any of Saints' first five games of the season.

"I’d like to congratulate Pierre Hojbjerg and his family and him on the birth of his daughter," Pellegrino said. "Pierre is at home in his country now, "He’s the only player that’s away, all the rest are okay to be a part of the team."

The St Mary's chief was asked in his pre-match press conference if he believes Palace changing managers this week will make the game more difficult ,after Roy Hodgson replaced Frank de Boer, who was in charge for just 77 days, on Tuesday.

He said: "Yes and no. Yes because we don’t have too much reference about them.

"We know how Roy Hodgson was playing in the past but when you have got another group of players, everything changes.

"And no because 90 per cent of our job is to think about us, about our style, our model."