Southampton V Crystal Palace Barclays Premier League Match 28 -September 2013.Manager Mauricio Pochettino will assess the Southampton players involved in the midweek League Cup win over Bristol City before finalising his line-up.
Gaston Ramirez was one of those to impress but limped off late on.Watch Southampton V Crystal Palace Live, Watch Southampton V Crystal Palace Live Stream, Watch Southampton V Crystal Palace Free Live Stream, Watch Southampton V Crystal Palace Online, Watch Southampton V Crystal Palace Online Free, Southampton V Crystal Palace Live, Southampton V Crystal Palace live stream Online.
Crystal Palace defender Damien Delaney is ruled out with an ankle injury but midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi is available after suspension.
Paddy McCarthy and Yannick Bolasie remain sidelined with respective groin and hamstring injuries.
MATCH PREVIEW
Come 3pm on Saturday, there will be no happier football manager than Ian Holloway, who will be free to prowl the technical area again after serving a two-match touchline ban for criticising referee Mark Clattenburg's handling of Crystal Palace's opening game of the season against Tottenham.
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Image of Mark Lawrenson Mark Lawrenson Football analyst
"I am starting to get a little bit worried about Crystal Palace because they were completely dismantled by Swansea last week.
"I know Ian Holloway was missing from the dug-out for that game and that he will be back from his touchline ban on Saturday, which will have an effect - but not a big enough one."
Read Lawro's full prediction and score
Holloway was also fined £18,000 by the FA for "improper conduct and bringing the game into disrepute" but I'm willing to bet (although not that much) that the ban hurt him far more.
He has admitted feeling detached watching from the stands - unable to instruct, cajole and inspire his players from the sidelines.
Palace face a huge battle to avoid another immediate relegation from the Premier League and having Holloway bobbing in and out of the dug-out is like having a 12th man.
The Eagles have lost four of their five league games so far, with their solitary victory coming against Sunderland, the only team beneath them in the table.
If Palace are living up to the pundits' pre-season pessimism, Southampton are not. Few, if any, expected Saints to be riding so high.
Ending Liverpool's impressive start with victory at Anfield last time out has really made people sit up and take notice of the work being carried out by Mauricio Pochettino, such a controversial appointment last January.
Closer inspection brings greater surprise at how they've done it: clean sheets have been key, while many more points have been collected on the road than at home. In fact, Southampton have not won at St Mary's in the Premier League since 30 March.
If Palace can extend that sorry statistic by grabbing a point or three, Holloway's joy over his comeback will stretch well beyond 3pm.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Crystal Palace have won only one of their last 10 league visits to Southampton (W1, D3, L6).
The south London side are winless in the eight previous Premier League meetings between these clubs (D4, L4).
Saints have won the last three league meetings.
Southampton
Southampton have yet to win at St Mary's in the Premier League this season.
Their three league goals (the joint-lowest total in the top flight) have all come in the second half, with two coming in the last two minutes.
Only Tottenham have conceded fewer than Southampton's total of two league goals this season.
Rickie Lambert, who scored twice the last time the clubs met, has scored 199 goals in English league football. He has had nine shots on goal in this season's Premier League, more than any other player.
Crystal Palace
Palace have lost four of their first five league matches.
Ian Holloway's side have lost all three of their away games this season (two in the Premier League, one in the League Cup).
Palace have won just two of their last 15 league fixtures (Championship and Premier League).
Holloway has used 23 players in this season's Premier League, the joint-highest total.