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CLAUDE Puel is wrestling with some huge selection dilemmas ahead of tomorrow’s crunch clash with crisis club Inter Milan.
Inter yesterday dramatically sacked boss Frank de Boer, just two days before the three times European champions step out at St Mary’s for a critical Europa League group tie.
Inter have lost five of their last seven games, though they did manage to beat Saints 1-0 in the Europa League in the San Siro almost a fortnight ago.
That result dumped Saints off top spot in the group at the halfway mark - adding an extra layer of importance to tomorrow’s return on the south coast.
Puel must now decide whether to unleash all his star names on Inter, knowing Saints can hardly afford another defeat if they are serious about progressing to the knockout stages.
As part of his phenomenal tinkering in recent weeks due to Saints’ hectic schedule, Puel left Charlie Austin, Jose Fonte, Steven Davis and Ryan Bertrand behind when travelling to Israel for a Europa League tie with Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
And he didn’t start Austin, Fonte, Davis or Nathan Redmond in the side which paid the penalty for missed chances at the San Siro.
Now the boss has a number of vital selection decisions to make tomorrow.
Does he keep Ryan Bertrand at left back, as the England international only returned from a fortnight’s injury absence last Sunday?
If he doesn’t, young Sam McQueen will make only his fourth start - two of which would have been against one of the most famous names in European football.
Does he give Fonte his first Europa League start of the season? Previously, Maya Yoshida - who has not played in the Premier League since the opening day in early August - has appeared alongside Virgil van Dijk in all three group games.
Does he bring James Ward-Prowse into the starting XI, as the England under-21 captain has started all three of the Europa League ties so far and was one of the brighter lights at the San Siro?
Does he recall Danish midfielder Pierre Hojbjerg, who has started two of the three Europa League ties but who, like Ward-Prowse, was on the bench against Chelsea last Sunday?
Ward Prowse and Hojbjerg started in Milan, but Steven Davis and Jordy Clasie occupied their places in the 2-0 loss to Chelsea.
Does he bring record signing Soufiane Boufal into the side for what would be only the playmaker’s second competitive start since last April?
And if he does, where does he start the Moroccan international who last week marked his first Saints start with a wonder goal in the League Cup win against Sunderland?
Austin, who scored twice on his only Europa League start against Sparta Prague, should be a shoe-in to start this time.
Puel preferred Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez in his starting XI at the San Siro, but both are currently injured - and Saints do not have many other options up front.
The Frenchman has selected previous Europa League teams with one eye on the following Sunday’s Premier League games.
After Hapoel, Saints played away at defending champions Leicester.
After Inter, they had a trip to table- topping Manchester City.
This Sunday, they are on their travels again - this time to Hull City.
With respect to the Tigers, who have lost their last six league games, they are not in the same class.
Puel could always throw the likes of Yoshida and McQueen into his starting line-up on Humberside if he truly feels some players cannot appear in two games in four days.
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