Everton head to St Mary’s for the first of two games with teams below them and a win essential if they are to tackle a difficult December in anything like good heart. Marco Silva, who has been less than strident in making his team’s case against controversial VAR decisions in the last two games – two penalties denied against Spurs, a shocker awarded to Brighton – and arguably costing his team five points in what is becoming an increasingly difficult season, will have to reshape the midfield again, with André Gomes joining Jean-Philippe Gbamin on the long-term injury list. Ralph Hasenhüttl has his own problems, winless in the league at home and desperate to rebuild confidence after their 9-0 shellacking by Leicester, though he has Moussa Djenepo available to start for the first time in weeks. Mark Tallentire
Saturday 3pm
Venue St Mary’s Stadium
Last season Southampton 2 Everton 1
Referee Paul Tierney
This season G8 Y26 R0 3.25 cards/game
Odds H 2-1 A 6-4 D 5-2
SOUTHAMPTON
Subs from Gunn, Boufal, Danso, Yoshida, Lewis, Slattery, Adams, Obafemi, Ramsay, Long, Armstrong, McQueen, Vokins, Smallbone
Doubtful Soares (calf)
Injured None
Suspended Bertrand (last of three)
Discipline Y13 R2
Form LLLDLL
Leading scorer Ings 4
EVERTON
Subs from Stekelenburg, Lössl, Sigurdsson, Delph, Kean, Baines, Coleman, Tosun, Gordon, Baningime, Holgate
Doubtful Delph (hamstring)
Injured Gbamin (thigh, Jan), Gomes (ankle, May), Bernard (knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y19 R2
Form LLLWLD
Leading scorer Calvert-Lewin 3
