Saints take on Aston Villa at St Mary's for the third time in 2015 looking to repeat the result in the last two and put the trauma of Wednesday to bed.

Saints go into the game against Aston Villa as a team in crisis, well at least according to some of their fans on social media, everyone is being questioned from Katharina Liebherr down to the tea lady and everything in between.

Well if being in crisis is going into a game 10th in the Premier League and with a good chance of going 6th if they win it, then I say give me a crisis more often.

On a serious note though, all clubs have sticky periods and it perhaps tells you how well our players have done in that two straight league defeats have still left us in 10th and a good opportunity to go higher.

But it is an important game, win it and we move upwards, lose it and those questions will be asked with more urgency.

But what is needed now is a cool head, a good team does not become a bad one overnight, Ronald Koeman has shown what a great manager he is for this club and has earned the right to be backed by the supporters at this stage rather than criticised.

What Saints have to do is stay calm, stay focused and concentrate on doing the job in hand and that means not panicking if things don't go the way of our last Premier League encounter when we blitzed them in the opening period.

We have to remember the Capital One Cup encounter five weeks or so ago when they were resolute and defended staunchly and we struggled to break them down, we stayed calm then and won the game, we need to do the same again.

We are 10th in the League for a reason and they are bottom for a reason, we play to out potential and we beat them.

Ronald Koeman has to remain un phased, some Saints fans may moan about Wednesday, but I have yet to meet one who would have picked a different side for the game against Liverpool and aside from Fonte returning for Caulker, I would play exactly the same starting XI against Villa.

Two reasons, firstly they will be fired up to put Wednesday night behind them and make amends, secondly that is our best starting XI injuries aside at present.

So there is no need to panic, but if Ronald Koeman is to remain cool calm and collected then he also needs the supporters to be the same, if you are going with the intention of abusing those who you consider at fault then I would suggest don't go, yes we pay our money and are entitled to our opinions, but give those opinions down the pub or its modern day non alcoholic equivalent Twitter.

Win this game and we are nicely set up for the next month, it is as simple as that, Mane Pelle & Long ripped Villa apart back in May, they can do it again tomorrow.

Just remember a year ago Sadio Mane was the whipping boy, many proclaimed him to be Saints worse ever signing, I think it is fair to say now that he wasn't

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 16:42 - Dec 4 I agree - no need to panic but if we lose this one then I would ask permission to get ready to panic as the next four are tough.
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aceofthebase added 21:14 - Dec 4 I haven't seen nor would I hope for any criticism of our beloved Katharina Liebherr and our Tea lady has been exemplary, though I hear she has also missed the cup recently so Nick please do not exaggerate. There has been cause to question the ability of several players, the selection of the same or others and the purchase of the same or others. You are correct that Wed team was near our best team apart from ..... and that I find depressing . This game is massive for saints and will define the season, win and we can relax (not really) but lose and then every game is going to be a race to the bottom. I'm hoping the Saints team that play exciting football turn up tomorrow but whatever 'come on you Saints'

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IWOZTHERE added 01:22 - Dec 5 Why is it that those who (laudably) try to put a positive spin on things, always demonise those who are critical? Some of us are seriously concerned, and were so before the L'pool fiasco, but the vast majority are going to turn up to support the team, not to abuse the owner, management or the players.
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