First things first despite the uproar and that’s Southampton

By C and H blogger Allen Cummings

Since the shattering defeat to Arsenal the speculation over Manuel Pellegrini’s future has intensified while the condemnation and in some cases sheer hatred of the owners, never far below the surface anyway with some people, has manifested yet again.

But those issues, as important as they are, cannot be allowed to take precedence over what should be the biggest issue of all these next few days – a performance and a victory over fellow struggles Southampton at St. Mary’s.

In some ways the team could benefit from having to play this crucial game away from home. The pressure of playing in front of 58,000 at the London Stadium – with the huge expectation of a clearly tentative crowd – is putting an added burden on a squad with such brittle confidence anyway at the moment.

It looks to be affecting all the players – but some even more than others. They are terrified of making a mistake, reluctant to take any responsibility, more ready to look for the easy option, a backwards or sideways pass rather than attempt to do something positive with the ball. In other words they’re becoming frightened of their own fans.

On Saturday the boot will be on the other foot. The greatest expectation will come from the majority inside the St Mary’s Stadium – the Southampton fans. Saints have lost five Premier League games at home this season and conceded 23 goals in the process.

It won’t take much the get the natives restless again! We showed at Stamford Bridge what this team is capable of when we work together. It wasn’t a fluke – it was a victory well planned, well executed and well earned.

Hugh exclusively revealed yesterday that current assistant first team coach Enzo Maresca played a big part in preparing and setting up the team for the Chelsea game. And most importantly his methods had gone down very well with the people who really matter in all this – the players themselves. It’s not rocket science surely for the powers to be to realise if it worked once, why can’t it work a second time?

We need Enzo’s input again, that surely has to be a given. It’s almost exactly a year since our last visit to Southampton. On that December evening we finished 2-1 victors – with both goals coming from a highly impressive Felipe Anderson.

How we need the talented but temperamental Brazilian to turn on the style again. The shenanigans off the pitch have to remain secondary right now to the task ahead on Saturday. We’ve heard it before – but this game could be massive in shaping the rest of the season for our club.