Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has admitted that he has a selection dilemma in midfield ahead of the Boxing Day meeting with Crystal Palace.
The Saints boss drafted 19-year-old Harrison Reed into the starting lineup for Saturday's 3-0 victory over Everton, with the youngster impressing as Southampton ended a five-match losing streak.
However, with Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama both back from suspension, Koeman must now decide whether to stick with Reed or revert to a more recognised central pairing.
"I like to have that kind of choice. If I have confidence in the player, the player has the chance to play. He started in the team and that means a lot, that means the coaching staff has a lot of confidence in the player," Koeman told reporters.
"It was a difficult situation after some defeats but it was a good moment to bring Harry in against Everton because of the energy he gave to the team. That was fantastic.
"For young players it's always good to have that chance to play first-team football because the whole academy can see there are possibilities and you will get a chance if you are doing well. If you are working hard the technical staff here are always open to giving young players a chance."
Southampton currently sit fifth in the Premier League table ahead of Friday's trip to Selhurst Park.
Barney Corkhill
