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EFL Cup: 2 Big Questions for Southampton vs. Crystal Palace

By Aaron Preston

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Jose Fonte of Southampton heads the ball during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Southampton and Crystal Palace at St Mary's Stadium on January 9, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 09: Jose Fonte of Southampton heads the ball during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Southampton and Crystal Palace at St Mary's Stadium on January 9, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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Southampton take on Crystal Palace today in their first tie of the EFL Cup. With the match hours away, here’s what’s on every fan’s mind.

It has been a transformative week on the South Coast and a good week to be a Saint. Two wins in two matches, 3 vital points in the Europa League and the new boss’s first win in the Premiership.

The team’s confidence, if it was ever faltering, will surely be riding high ahead of next Sunday’s match against a beleaguered West Ham United. Before that, though, the Saints await a midweek challenge from Crystal Palace in their first round of the EFL Cup.

Southampton have a mixed history with Palace: overall, the Saints have a winning record including a 4-1 smashing at St. Mary’s to round out last season. But the South Coast club haven’t beaten Crystal Palace in a tournament since 1990.

Will the Saints shake the monkey off their back this time out? Can Claude Puel’s squad make it 3 straight at St. Mary’s? Here’s 2 things that may determine how the game plays out.

Will Jay Rodriguez start?

By my reckoning of Claude Puel’s rotation system, today’s Jay Rodriguez’s turn to play following a late run vs. Sparta Prague and a rest Sunday. J-Rod was a game-time decision Sunday after suffering a minor injury and remains doubtful for today’s match, as of press time.

Claude Puel, whatever Rodriguez’s fitness at kickoff, will undoubtedly want to preserve his best forward players for the more strategically important West Ham match.

With that in mind, Puel may choose to pull from the youth teams. U23 players Jake Hesketh, Sam McQueen and Olufela Olomola might see a first-team call up for some playing time if Rodriguez isn’t up to 90-minute fitness quite yet.

Next: Preview: Southampton vs. Crystal Palace

How much does Puel want it?

We said at the beginning of the season that in a year of Europa League, Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup, battles would have to be picked. Fans, of course, don’t always see it this way and will be keen to see Southampton add silverware whatever it may be. A loss to Crystal Palace would derail the momentum building toward Sunday’s big match and probably not sit well with fans who may not see the pragmatism of an early exit from an undercard tournament.

Whom the manager picks, and how he plays Palace, will reveal a lot about where the EFL Cup sits in his list of priorities. The legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once described the EFL Cup as “a pot worth winning.” Today we’ll see if Claude Puel feels the same way.