It may be only five months ago but the team to face Crystal Palace on Wednesday will have a far different look about it than the one that ran out at Selhurst Park back in September.

When Saints run out against the Eagles on Wednesday evening at St Mary's there may be as few as only five survivors of that starting XI in the team that kicks off the game.

Looking at the team line up below only McCarthy, Vestergaard, Hojbjerg, Redmond and Ings look likely to start

A McCarthy, J Vestergaard, C Soares, R Bertrand, W Hoedt, P Hojbjerg, M Lemina, M Elyounoussi (M Targett, 73), N Redmond, D Ings (O Romeu, 78), S Long (C Austin, 62)
Subs not used: Subs not used:J Ward-Prowse, A Gunn, S Davis, M Yoshida.

Of the remaining 6 Soares and Hoedt have left the club on loan in the last week, Bertrand & Lemina are injured and Elyounoussi is way out of the picture leaving only Shane Long truly in with a shout of starting.

Even the subs bench is low on potential starters, Steven Davis has also left the club, Matt Targett could miss the game through injury, Yoshida is on International duty and Charlie Austin could be about to leave the club himself. Of the seven on the bench taking aside Keeper Angus Gunn only James Ward Prowse and Oriel Romeu look likely to start.

So of the 18 on duty at Palace perhaps 7 will start the game and another 2 or 3 make the bench meaning that virtually half of the squad involved five months ago will for one reason or another play no part on Wednesday evening.

This shows the work that Hasenhuttl has put in in reshaping the squad and turning round the season, he has pared down the squad and go it working to his way of thinking and the confidence is returning.

Saints won 2-0 at Selhurst Park, if they can repeat that result and leap above the Eagles suddenly the season will look at lot brighter and Saints will be thinking of regaining their spot of top team on the South Coast again rather than looking over their shoulder.

There is still a long way to go but you just feel that Saints can do it under Hasenhuttl although I would be happier if a signing or two came in to replace those who have gone.

Photo: Action Images

underweststand added 16:01 - Jan 29 Is it really as a dark as that Nick? Aside from the 6 mentioned..I'd have thought that Romeu and Prowsie would be on Ralph's team sheet from the beginning...and Matt Targett is apparantly fit agin...so that means we could add, Long, Armstrong and Stephens in the back line and Valery at RB. OK-a bit thin on experience when you look at the bench, but Ralph has given half-a-dozen youngsters an outing in the last month- and they have to get more game time in the near future...or should we wait until we play Arsenal. Man U or Watford (all away games)? Palace are in good form just now, but unless we get a really bad result on Wednesday then we have soldier on and trust that Ralph knows what he's up against.

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