Hutchings warns on attacking trio

The Saints – making their Banks's Stadium debut and playing their first game with the Saddlers in 47 years – have won five of their last six away matches to move out of the League One drop zone.

Saddlers are second in the form table with 16 points from the last 21 – a run which has seen them inch up to seventh, one point from the play-offs.

But tomorrow they face the division's 14-goal top scorer Rickie Lambert as well as the Saints' wing wonder Adam Lallana, shortlisted for November's Player of the Month, and Hutchings' former Wigan charge David Connolly.

And the Saddlers chief knows they cannot just focus on one player.

He said: "They've got Connolly, bought Lambert for £1m and have Lallana – they are all very, very good players who have played higher and you would expect that experience to come in and shine.

"You've got Lambert, Lallana and Connolly who will cause you problems, you can't highlight one or the others.

"Southampton have been on a good run of late, Pards (Alan Pardew) has turned it around."

Hutchings worked with former Wolves loanee Connolly, who has five goals this season, while assistant manager at Wigan after he signed from Leicester for £2m. The 32-year-old has 117 career goals and Hutchings says he is too good for League One.

"He shouldn't really be playing at this level. He's been injured on and off in the last couple of seasons, it's a fresh challenge for him and when he's fit he's a good player," he said.

Connolly is expected to recover from a groin injury while the Saddlers have an empty treatment room following the return of Jamie Vincent and Richard Taundry.

Hutchings is likely to resist the temptation to rest weary legs following Tuesday's 3-1 win at Yeovil but has not ruled out rotating his squad over Christmas.

He said: "Taundry is straining at the leash with Jamie and we've got a decent squad all of a sudden. It's good and have a clean bill of health.

"You don't like to break winning teams up but if the lads are tired and have little niggles we can look into it but we'll wait and see.

"If people aren't doing it we've got players, certainly with everyone fit, who can change things. If we have to change formation we can do.

"At this moment there is always going to be two left out of the squad and everyone feels they should be in it.

"It's good competition and it gives me a headache but it's one you want when everyone is fit."

The Saddlers last home outing – a 3-0 win over Oldham – was witnessed by just 3,191 and defender Rhys Weston has urged to the Walsall faithful to return to the Banks's and get behind the play-off chasers.

"It would be nice to think that there will be a big crowd on Saturday," he said. "We've been doing really well of late and hopefully our recent performances will put a few more bums on seats.

"As players all we can do is go out there and do our best. There are many things that make up a football club but the most important thing is the supporters."

The Saints, who were docked 10 points for going into administration, climbed out of the bottom four with a 1-0 win over Wycombe on Tuesday and assistant boss Dean Wilkins expects a tough test.

"Walsall are pretty much a 4-4-2 side, they've got pace up front, they've got pace in wide areas, players that can score from different areas of the pitch and they're quite a big side as well," he said.

"I know the stadium well and it's quite tight and it will be a tight atmosphere, quite intimidating and with the weather we've had it will be a heavy pitch.

"The last eight games has got them into seventh spot so they are showing a consistent run of form."