Southampton travel to the King Power tomorrow night as they look to bounce back from the disappointment from the weekend with their relegation now seeming all but confirmed.
Saints are looking to claim just their 2nd Premier League win since the turn of the year as they face an out of sorts Leicester side managed, by former Saints boss Claude Puel.
Hughes is set to take charge of his fifth game as Saints manager and is yet to claim any point which will come as a concern as they race to avoid the drop heats up.
When the two sides met back in December, the Foxes tore Saints apart as they claimed an easy 4-1 win at St Mary’s in another struggle for the side.
With such a crucial game for the Saints ahead, I have picked out three players who will be key if the visitors are to pick up three points at the King Power Stadium.
Oriol Romeu
The Spanish midfielder has been back in the side in recent weeks and it’s going to be vital that he is a key performer in this game with the Saints needing to keep it tight in the middle. The game could well be won or lost in the midfield and a top performance from the Saints man could go a long way to helping his side pick up a much needed three points. His combative pressing and tackling will be a big element in this game as he looks to help Saints preserve their status in the division.
Dusan Tadic
Tadic was back to his best last weekend as he scored the Saints opener and looked back to his old self showing sheer passion and drive throughout the match. If Saints are to claim the win they need tomorrow night then the Serb will have to be at his best throughout the contest as his quality could go a long way to breaking through the Leicester back line which has in truth struggled across recent weeks. His quality on the ball in tight night areas will also be of importance as he looks to help get Saints out of a sticky situation.
Shane Long
The Saints forward can cause Leicester all sorts of problems running in behind and using his electric pace on the counter against an ageing Wes Morgan. He was brilliant at the weekend as Chelsea didn’t know where to look he gave them many difficulties. If Long can exploit the weaknesses in the Leicester ranks then he could provide opportunities on goal which will need to be taken by a struggling Saints side.
