Saints go into this game knowing a win will see them solidly into the upper mid table but defeat could set alarm bells ringing.

Sometimes there are pivotal moments in a season where the result can set the pattern for the rest of the season and this is one of them, Saints need to start scoring goals and they need to start winning games.

The reality is that Saints have a strong squad and one that is quite capable of reprising the top ten positions of the last four seasons, it is solid but the issue is scoring goals and this area has to change.

I still agree with Manual Pellegrino in that I think the issue is creating decent chances rather than finishing them, the formation is not an issue, it is about the likes of Nathan Redmond and Dusan Tadic finding their confidence and not only creating chances, but taking them themselves.

At the moment that confidence is not there anywhere in the team, we do not run at players as we used too, when we cross the half way line we check back rather than running at the opposition, virtually all the squad are guilty of this, Ryan Bertrand once a potent attacking option no longer seems happy to get down the line and cross the ball, we are afraid of losing possession and getting caught on the break.

This is a throwback to last season and the problem is mental rather than anything else, we need to have a great win to remind ourselves how good we actually can be, Claude Puel was not as bad a coach as many would have you believe, but his biggest error at Saints was that he turned an attacking squad that could score goals for fun and indeed despite popular opinion was still able to do that as late as February last season, into a side that played with fear in the final third of the season, played without confidence.

Rectifying this is not something that the new manager could do overnight, there were too many issues both on and off the field to be able to do this, however with the season now two months old the time to show that things are now heading back to normal is rife.

Saints fans have to play their part by not getting on the teams back if it doesn't immediately click, we have to remember that in the main this squad has the track record, it can score goals it just needs it's confidence back.

I don't expect too many surprises from Pellegrino in the starting line up, in truth taking aside that many want to see an extra striker, his line ups are pretty much what most would have chosen themselves, the managers job is to get his players playing without fear, if he does that then we are more than capable of turning over Newcastle or indeed most teams in this division.

But make no bones about it, this is perhaps the most important game so far, win it and we are looking upwards, but lose it and we are looking over our shoulders.

Photo: Action Images

highfield49 added 10:18 - Oct 14 For me either Austin or Gabbiadini has to start because all of the other options have pretty much failed to threaten anything but the supporters either side of the goal. My preference would be Austin to start and play three at the back, allowing us to dominate mid field and hopefully allow the forward players to get on with their job and create chances rather than wait for support from behind. A front three of Redmond, Tadic and Long is going to get supporters fearing the outcome before the first whistle. Give the fans something to shout about and the whole dynamic of the game will change as we get behind the team, it is really, really difficult to maintain vocal support when the there is no momentum on the pitch.

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Ali_Diarea added 13:43 - Oct 14 Foster VVD, Horst, Yosh Soares, Romeu, Boufal, Lemina, Bertrand Austin, Gabbi Time to try something different, it worked for Conte!
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