Southampton get their first cup campaign underway on Tuesday as they face Championship hopefuls Fulham in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side earned their first points of the new season in the Premier League on Saturday, with an impressive 2-0 victory against Brighton.
They will be hoping to replicate that performance and progress into the next round of the League Cup when they visit Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
Fulham, who suffered relegation from the top flight last season, have made a decent start to life back in the second division, and currently sit fifth with three wins and two defeats to their name.
Last time out, they were beaten 2-1 on home soil by Nottingham Forest, so will be looking to bounce back and test their strength against Premier League opposition.
With Saints facing Manchester United at St Mary’s on Saturday, Ralph Hasenhuttl could make a plethora of changes to the side that beat Brighton.
The team he chooses, however, will also need to have enough quality to see off Fulham, whose starting line-up is also likely to be rotated.
So, where could the game be won or lost? Here are our Key Battles ahead of Tuesday’s fixture.
