Southampton fan previews the Fulham match

How long have you been a Saints fan?

I’ve been a Saints fan my whole life and my earliest memories of being a fan is the 2006/07 season when Saints qualified for the Championship play-offs with the likes of Gareth Bale and Grzegorz Rasiak playing for the club. 

Pre-match thoughts?

The match with Fulham at the weekend is a six-pointer; there’s no two ways about it. 

Saints need to prove that they have the quality and the fight to win this game and drag themselves out of a relegation battle.

The danger this weekend is that Saints may have to contend with the ‘new manager bounce’ teams seem to get immediately after bringing someone new into the dugout. 

Fulham currently sit bottom of the Premier League and have lost their last six Premier League games so anything other than three points will be a disappointment from Saints’ point of view. 

How would you set the side up for the weekend?

Saints can’t afford to be conservative in this game, they have go out and control the match from the first minute to the last. 

I’d stick with the 4-3-3 formation Mark Hughes adopted against Watford as it proved more effective than the 4-4-2 and the 5-3-2 we’ve already seen this season.

After the controversies against the Hornets and questions over Danny Ings’ fitness, I’d start Charlie Austin upfront with Manolo Gabbiadini on the right and Nathan Redmond of the left.

The Italian will be looking to add to the goal against Watford and Austin will look to right the referee’s wrong from two weeks ago.

Manolo Gabbiadini celebrates his goal against Watford

I’d keep the midfield of Stuart Armstrong, Mario Lemina and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg. This gives Saints the right balance, whilst Lemina and Hojbjerg have built a strong partnership. 

The fullbacks and goalkeeper pick themselves but a main issue for Hughes this season has been who plays at the heart of the defence.

Personally, I’d play Maya Yoshida and Jack Stephens as I believe when they’ve featured this season they’ve looked the most comfortable. 

McCarthy; Targett, Stephens, Yoshida, Cedric; Armstrong, Lemina, Hojbjerg; Redmond, Austin, Gabbiadini.

Who is it a big game for and why?

Quite simply, Mark Hughes. 

Pressure has begun to build on the Welshman as Saints have only won one game so far this season and sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference. 

He needs to prove to the fans he is the man to lead us up the table whilst putting our goalscoring issues to bed.

Are you expecting a positive response from Fulham after appointing Claudio Ranieri?

Claudio Ranieri with the Premier League title he won with Leicester

Claudio Ranieri masterminded arguably the greatest feat in English football when he led Leicester City to Premier League glory during the 2015/16 season.

Bringing in a manger with Ranieri’s CV would give any team a lift so I’m expecting Fulham’s players to be running through walls for their new boss.

What ultimately lost Slavisa Jokanovic his job was the fact he never knew his best team and after Ranieri’s been working with his new players during the entirety of the international break, he may have already figured it out.

If you want the chance to place yourself In the Dugout then email dan.sheldon@dailyecho.co.uk.