Ronald Koeman could be forced to hand several youngsters their Saints debuts against Everton this weekend as he finds himself in the grip of a fresh selection crisis.

Koeman is definitely without Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama, Florin Gardos, Jay Rodriguez, Jack Cork, Sam Gallagher, Jake Hesketh and Dusan Tadic.

There are also major doubts over the fitness of Steven Davis and Graziano Pelle, who are struggling to recover in time to help Saints’ try and break a run of five straight defeats.

Harrison Reed is set to make his first start for the club while Koeman has called under-21 players Ryan Seager, Dominic Gape, Jason McCarthy, Jake Flanagan and Sam McQueen into the first team group ahead of the game at St Mary’s.

With Saints in the grip of a losing run and on the back of a Capital One Cup defeat to League One Sheffield United, Koeman, left, wouldn’t ideally wish to name so many youngsters in his squad, but he admits he isn’t exactly left much option.

“We don’t have other solutions and it is not about that I don’t like it because it is one of the philosophies of the club, to give them that chance,” admitted Koeman.

“But, of course, for them it is more comfortable if the team is doing well and you take one out and put one into a team doing well.

“Now, in too many positions we have changes, we don’t have at the moment that same confidence that we had in the beginning and that makes it more difficult for young players but we don’t have more players.

“I called six or seven under-21s players for the session Thursday morning and Friday. Then I will see what we have available, but for sure we need in the 18 players we need five or six under-21s.”

Reed, who has been a regular on the bench this season, is probably the one youngster who will start, almost certainly alongside Toby Aldeweireld in central midfield with Maya Yoshida returning at centre half.

Pelle is the most likely of the Saints stars to be fit and, assuming he is, Koeman can still name Sadio Mane, Shane Long and James Ward-Prowse in the starting XI and have to fill up the bench with a selection of the youngsters alongside Kelvin Davis, Emmanuel Mayuka, Matt Targett and Lloyd Isgrove.

“Harry (Reed) was always in my mind to play because he is a midfielder, but I had some particular reasons to put in against Manchester City Alderweireld and the same against Arsenal,” said Koeman.

“But Harry is one of the squad, he is a young player and needs a chance to show his qualities. He will probably start this Saturday.”

Saints’ injury problems have come partly as a result of fatigue, and Koeman is reluctant to endanger more serious injuries for his star men.

“The problem for Tadic is tiredness built up about playing a lot,” said Koeman, who confirmed there is no option to recall Gaston Ramirez from his loan spell at Hull.

“That’s the difference between outside and playing in the Premier League.

“These are players who need normally a break and they don’t have a break and a little bit the same for Steven Davis and the same for Graziano Pelle.

“We have to understand that we have more international players than the club had ever in the past and you have to get used to that problem.

“That is in my opinion one of the difficulties for us and one of the problems. It’s a new situation.

“With a lot of changes in the team that’s part of football and it’s a little bit the problem.”

He added: “It’s a groin injury, a small hamstring injury - all these injuries are not for a long period but that means you go on and you go on and sometimes you come in a moment that you are not fresh. It’s sometimes difficult.”