Saints could hand a debut to new signing Eljero Elia when they visit Manchester United – and the flying Dutch winger has been backed to be a smash hit in England.

The 27-year-old officially arrived at St Mary’s at the start of the transfer window last Saturday, joining on loan from German club Werder Bremen until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent move.

Elia has been training with his new teammates since last week and is now available to feature for Ronald Koeman’s side, having been officially registered.

The Dutch international has not played a competitive game since his last Bremen outing on November 23, and in fact has not managed 90 minutes since the end of last August.

But Koeman could hand Elia a first appearance in Sunday’s huge Premier League clash at Old Trafford, where third will play fourth.

Saints will leapfrog their hosts if they can inflict United’s first home loss since the opening day of the season when Swansea ruined Louis van Gaal’s competitive debut as boss.

Koeman will be without the services of the in-form Sadio Mane, who is sidelined for between four and six weeks with a calf injury, meaning that Elia and Shane Long are likely to compete to fill the void left by the Senegal international.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama is confident that whoever replaces Mane will do an excellent job.

“For sure, we have players who can come in and also score some goals,” he said.

Morgan Schneiderlin knows Elia and believes he will prove to be an astute signing.

“He’s a skilful player, he’s someone who can change games, he’s got good technique, he’s got pace, so as we’re losing Sadio he’s going to be a good guy to come in,” said the France international.

“He’s a very good player and now, hopefully, he’ll get back to his fitness, because he didn’t play much and he had a little break.

“Hopefully he will bring us a lot, because he’s a good player and I think we need him.”

Elia’s arrival is certainly a timely one, given the loss of Mane, who had scored in each of Saints’ last three matches against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Wanyama admitted it is a shame to be losing the talented star, who would have been departing now for Africa Cup of Nations duty even without injury – although that may yet happen, after Senegal insisted they want to take a look at him themselves.

“It will be a very, very big blow,” said Wanyama. “We will miss him.”

The Kenyan international, who remains with Saints this month after his country did not qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, added: “He was getting his form back and there are some players who can fill his boots also.”

Elia’s recent goalscoring record is not as good as Mane’s, however, with the player last having netted in a German Bundesliga game in November 2013.

In all, he has scored just four league goals for Bremen in 66 league appearances – 13 of which have been as a sub.