Southampton will look to give their survival hopes a huge boost when they host fellow strugglers Stoke City in a huge six-pointer at St Mary's on Saturday, on the back of moving out of the relegation zone when they drew 1-1 with Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend.

Saints looked set to stay in the bottom three following Ashley Barnes' second-half goal for the Clarets, but a late equaliser from Manolo Gabbiadini saw the south coast outfit move up to 16th, but only out of the danger zone on goal difference.

Mauricio Pellegrino’s men are still bang in trouble and just one point ahead of the 19th-placed Potters going into the encounter with Paul Lambert's side, but they face a team that has the worst away record in the Premier League on Saturday.

Stoke have only taken seven points from 14 fixtures on their travels so far this term, with their only win coming against Watford in October.

That said, Saints have struggled on their own patch themselves and have failed to beat fellow relegation rivals Swansea City, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Swansea City at St Mary's, and they can't afford to let that record continue on Saturday.

Pellegrino will be considering making some changes to the XI that drew in Lancahire given the display was far from convincing, and the Argentine boss will regret if he fails to make a couple of alterations.

Here are three big changes the 46-year-old must make to his Southampton side when they host Stoke...

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for Oriol Romeu

Romeu won the club's Player of the Season award last term but his performances this term haven't lived up to those from last year.

The Spaniard has looked lethargic and often off the pace in the middle of the park, and Southampton can't afford to have someone like that in such a crucial clash against Stoke.

Meanwhile, Hojbjerg was left on the substitutes' bench against the Clarets having been something of a regular in recent weeks, and there is no doubt that he gives his all when he is on the pitch.

The Dane must start over an out of form Romeu against the Potters, working alongside Mario Lemina in the middle of the park to try and ensure the hosts are difficult to break down.

Josh Sims for James Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse has arguably been Southampton's best player so far in 2018, but while he is effective from set-pieces, he still doesn't provide the spark and the quality out wide that the south coast outfit need in open play – especially when they are at home.

Saints need players that are quicker, more direct and can cause the opposition defence more problems when they are trying to break them down, and that is exactly what Sims can do.

The 20-year-old has made a big difference from the substitutes' bench in recent weeks and he had a good chance to score in a five-minute cameo in the 2-1 win against West Brom in the FA Cup, while he played a big part in his side's equaliser against Burnley as his cross was nodded down by Guido Carrillo for Manolo Gabbiadini to slam home.

Manolo Gabbiadini for Dusan Tadic

Southampton picked up a 1-1 draw against Burnley last time out after Pellegrino took a risk by playing two up top in the closing stages, and it paid off as Carrillo and Gabbiadini linked up for the goal.

While Saints supporters will want the duo to start in attack alongside each other against Stoke, the Italian may also be effective in the role just behind the centre-forward too, and he should have some of his confidence back after scoring his first Premier League goal since October.

With Gabbiadini through the middle behind Carrillo and Sims and Nathan Redmond on the flanks, the south coast outfit would have an attack that could cause Stoke plenty of problems, and that is something that Tadic hasn't done enough of whether he has started in the No 10 role or out wide at St Mary's this season.

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