Saints will be without José Fonte with the former Palace man suspended for the return to his former stomping ground.

Saints will be without skipper José Fonte for the Boxing Day trip to Crystal Palace after the central defender was booked for the fifth time this season invoking a one match ban.

However the booking could perhaps be better served by Fonte against Palace than playing there and picking up one there and missing Chelsea.

However the good news is that Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin will return from similar one match bans to give the squad a bit more experience, and they will be joined by Florin Gardos who has also served his one match ban for being sent off at Sheffield United.

Hopefully perhaps they will be joined by Dusan Tadic whose mysterious injury has kept him out of the last two games.

By the time Saints play Arsenal on New Years Day the squad will be getting back up to speed and by the time we resume Premier League action after the FA Cup game perhaps the likes of Jack Cork will be back to fitness and even joined by a new signing or two.

Photo: Action Images

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