Mark Hughes is set to make wholesale changes for tonight’s Carabao Cup second round clash with Premier League rivals Brighton but insists he wants a good run in the competition.

The majority of top flight clubs will use this week’s ties as a chance to give game time to the players who have been starved of Premier League matches in the opening few weeks of the season.

Saints are no different and given the depth of their squad can still select a senior looking side with the likes of Angus Gunn, Maya Yoshida, Jan Bednarek, Matt Targett, Sam McQueen, Steven Davis and Manolo Gabbiadini yet to start a match.

Hughes said: “There will be any number of changes but if you look at our squad and the guys that are fit and well and itching to get out there then I have a really strong senior group that I can use and go up against Brighton.

“There will be changes clearly. It was a big effort against Leicester and we will need to freshen it up but we have good options to come in.

“It will be an opportunity for them to stake a claim as well so it’s up to those guys out of the team to push and try and get back into the team.”

Despite the fact that Hughes will shuffle his pack for the trip to the Amex Stadium, he still wants to see his side progress in a competition in which they reached the final in 2017.

“I think it’s really important,” said Hughes of the cups.

“We want a cup run and to have the excitement of a cup run if we can.

“I have always been of the view that cup runs don’t hamper your league form. I think they enhance it because confidence comes from progressing into the latter rounds, so if we can do that then I think that will help our league form and confidence going into Premier League games.

“Our intention is to get through the tie if we can.”

It will be a tough game for Saints to prepare with Brighton also likely to make a raft of changes to their regular Premier League side.

“I think Brighton last year if my memory helps me made nine or ten changes and that may well happen but every Premier League club has a 25 man squad there to be used,” reflected Hughes.

“I am sure they will look to use their guys who haven’t maybe had game time as we will, but it is our intention to go strong.”