£16k-p/w "weak link" axed, £18m-rated ace starts in 2 changes: Predicted Saints XI - opinion

Southampton will look to return to winning ways in the Premier League this afternoon as they make the short trip down the south coast to take on Graham Potter’s high-flying Brighton.

Having ended a run of no win in six with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal, the Saints returned to their bad habits, losing 2-0 at lowly Burnley on Thursday evening.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men are safe, but a top-half finish looked extremely possible a month ago with a place in the top ten come the end of the season now looking a tall task.

However, the Saints will leapfrog the Seagulls with a victory at the AMEX Stadium today, so, who should Hasenhuttl entrust to oversee victory on the south coast?

Here is how Football FanCast expects Southampton to line up in Sussex:

Saints XI: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, S. Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Adams, Broja.

Having played around with different formations of late, we expect Hasenhuttl to return to his favoured 4-2-2-2 set-up with the use of a back-five offering inconsistent results in the last two matches.

After an exceptional game against Arsenal and another bright display at Turf Moor, Fraser Forster keeps his place in between the sticks as expected.

However, there is a change in the defence as Mohamed Salisu returns to the starting lineup, having been dropped after the 6-0 defeat to Chelsea two weeks ago.

The Ghanaian is undoubtedly the Saints’ best defender but had been under par for a handful of games, hence Hasenhuttl proving to the 23-year-old that his place in the side isn’t guaranteed.

Jan Bednarek keeps his place whilst Yan Valery and Lyanco drop out to allow the change of formation.

The former has been developed into a centre-back this season having notoriously