David Lafata is the man who presents the biggest threat to Saints in this week’s Europa League opener at St Mary’s.

Wily old-timer and goalscorer extraordinaire Lafata will lead the Sparta Prague attack in Thursday’s first group match.

At 34 years old, Lafata may be in the twilight of his career, but Claude Puel will be all too aware of the threat he still possesses.

Lafata has been top scorer in the Czech First Division five times in the last six season.

And in the season when he didn’t end top marksman, he was second.

He also matches Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the most goals scored in one single Champions League game.

No man in Czech history has more top flight goals in the country than Lafata, who announced his retirement from international football after Euro 2016.

He arrives at St Mary’s this Thursday with four goals already to his name this season, including one in the Europa League play-off victory against Danish side SonderjyskE.

Although far less prolific on the international stage, having netted just nine times in 41 appearances for the Czech Republic, Lafata has an eye-catching record in continental competition at club level.

He was inaugurated into a prestigious group of players in July 2014 when he netted FIVE times in a Champions League qualifier, meaning he joins players like Messi and Bayern Munich and West Germany legend Gerd Muller in scoring the most goals in a single game in Europe’s elite tournament.

In that same Champions League campaign he netted a incredible eight goals in just three matches, which gives plenty of proof that Lafata is far from goal-shy away from the Czech domestic leagues and cups.

He has netted goals against German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and Schalke in the past, but it will be up to Saints to stop him finding the net on English soil.

And in Sparta’s run to the Europa League quarter finals last term, Lafata struck five times in nine games.

It would be easy for Saints to underestimate Sparta’s capabilities with the Czech league a considerable step down from the quality of the Premier League.

But the harsh lessons of losing to Danish side outfit FC Midtjylland should live long in the memory for Saints players.