Perhaps the easiest preview that I have written this season as Saints entertain Norwich City at St Mary's.

Rocket science is not needed by Nigel Adkins as Saints take on the Canaries of East Anglia in a crunch Premier League encounter at St Mary's, the clubs paths havent crossed for a few years with Saints following Norwich's progress up the divisions a year behind and now they are looking to repeat Norwich once again and stay up in their first season back in the Premier league.

Assuming that everyone is fit then Nigel Adkins job is simple, get the same team out that has served us so well in the last couple of games and motivate them to repeat the performances, easier said than done, but clearly the fire is in the bellies of the players Nigel just needs to stoke it up again.

A lot is riding on the game for Saints, this is the type of game that is crucial to win if we want to stay up, a win could see as up as high as 14th if other results go our way and indeed could see us pushing the top ten if we repeat the performance at Anfield, however that perhaps emphasises just how tight this league is and conversely a defeat tonight could see us firmly entrenched in the bottom three with some of those we are looking to drag into the relegation battle pulling away from us.

So Saints have to just do what they do well and thats attack Norwich and then if we can cut out the errors as we have done to a degree in recent games then we can win it, for their part the Canaries have yet to win away from home, their draw at Everton on Saturday was their 4th of seven away trips so far with three defeats, only 4 goals for on the road with thirteen against paints a picture of a side that in the main will keep it tight, but if you crack them you can open the floodgates.

Norwich's season has been turned around by winning their last three home games, the win against Stoke was probably par for the course, but no one expected tem to beat both Arsenal & Man United, indeed if they had drawn both of the latter two games instead of won, then they would be in the bottom three below Saints on goal difference this morning and being spoken of as cast iron certs for relegation.

So in that respect they sit in a similar position to Saints, although a little better off, if they win then they will rocket up the table, whiolst a defeat will set the alarm bells ringing.  

Key again tonight will be substitutions at the right times and if we cant crack the Norwich nut early on then in the second half Nigel has to be prepared to think outside the square and consider not just other options personel wise, but changing the formation.

Photo: Action Images

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