Southampton face a challenging trip to Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day but there may be no better time to play the Blues.
For starters, the Saints have an extra day’s rest advantage over Frank Lampard’s side, and the form table shows the two sides moving in opposite directions, though Chelsea did convince in their win over Tottenham.
Despite that, they have lost four of the previous six league games, including both of their last home games, which ended in 1-0 victories to West Ham and Bournemouth. The Saints, in comparison, have won three of their last five outings.
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The likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have tailed off in their goalscoring form recently, too, and Southampton should be encouraged by that fact and take an optimistic approach.
Chelsea may be fourth but their defence has looked suspect for large parts of the season. They have conceded 25 goals in 18 league games and Danny Ings should, therefore, be hotly anticipating the clash. It isn’t as though he needs a confidence boost with ten goals in 12 matches.
Such was the effectiveness of their performance on Saturday it seems a little harsh for anyone to be dropped, but if Moussa Djenepo passes a fitness test then Hasenhuttl should make just the one change.
Djenepo isn’t a striker but he should be given the freedom to roam and support Ings in any way he can.
That should him allow space to not only receive the ball, but to be found in promising positions where he can turn and run at the defence, as that is how he performs best.
He missed the clash against the Villans with a hamstring injury but he could make his return on Boxing Day, with Shane Long the obvious man to replace.
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However, if the Malian is unfit then Long should retain his place, even though Hasenhuttl may be tempted to play an extra midfielder to combat Chelsea’s attacking strength.
Ings doesn’t only offer a goal threat, though, and his work rate alongside the aforementioned duo will allow Southampton to pressure the opposition defenders and make their own team defend from the front, which could be crucial to shutting out the home side.
The forward pair suggested are both capable of moments of magic and should that happen then the Saints may just return to the south coast with some points to celebrate.
Meanwhile, Garth Crooks has issued a statement about Danny Ings that many Saints fans won’t like hearing.
