Ivan Juric oversees his first Southampton match on Boxing Day, when the Saints pit their wits against West Ham United at St Mary's in the Premier League.

The former Roma and Torino head coach has already received one selection boost for his inaugural match, as experienced defender Jack Stephens is available again after serving a four-match suspension.

However, Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Ross Stewart (calf) and Will Smallbone (thigh) are still on the treatment table, and Maxwel Cornet cannot face his parent team, but he has only earned fleeting minutes this season either way.

Juric will no doubt persist with the three-man defensive setup that Southampton have been accustomed to this season, but Stephens seemingly has his work cut out to return to the first XI straight away.

Indeed, Nathan Wood has seamlessly slotted into defence alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jan Bednarek, and Juric may see no need to alter the setup that kept Fulham at bay over the weekend.

That also extends to Yukinari Sugawara and Kyle Walker-Peters on the flanks, while Flynn Downes will man the midfield against his former team, and Juric's arrival may also give Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu a new lease of life on the South Coast.

Further forward, Mateus Fernandes has made himself indispensable to the Premier League's basement boys, so all four of Tyler Dibling, Paul Onuachu, Adam Armstrong and Cameron Archer may be fighting for two places up front.

There is every chance that Juric will side with the towering Onuachu for a chief aerial threat, and attacking regular Armstrong should be given the nod to partner his 6ft 7in colleague in that scenario.

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Wood, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek; Sugawara, Ugochukwu, Downes, Walker-Peters; Fernandes; Armstrong, Onuachu

> Click here to see how West Ham could line up for this clash

Written by
Ben Knapton