Southampton will pose some new questions for Walsall

Darrell Clarke’s men have their tails up after three consecutive league wins have changed the complexion of life at the Banks’s Stadium.

Coming off the back of an impressive 3-2 victory away at Crawley, the Saddlers face a Southampton youth side that could cause them problems.

While Walsall held Coventry to a goalless draw – eventually losing on penalties – in the first game of this season’s EFL Trophy, Southampton were denied a point due to a late goal at Forest Green Rovers. Rovers currently sit in fourth in League Two after a strong start to the campaign, but Southampton’s kids ran them close, losing 3-2 in a thrilling cup game.

And if they can recreate the same performance they could cause Walsall some issues.

Saddlers will look to give some players a rest after a gruelling league schedule, but Darrell Clarke insists his side are there to win as they focus on their own strengths.

“We’ll have to watch where we are bodies-wise but it’s a game I want to win, that’s for sure,” he said.

“We want to progress in the competition and we’ll give it our best shot.

“They’re different sort of games but we’ll be ready for it.

“Let’s go to the next game, you only gain momentum by concentrating on the next game and that’s all you do in football.

“We don’t get carried away, we have another game Tuesday night, which I want to win to keep us in the trophy, so we look forward to that.”

In an academy famous for producing talents such as Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott, the south coast side will be hoping a new star can come to the fore.

“I couldn’t give a monkey’s about Southampton’s under-21 players, if I’m honest,” Clarke added.

“I just care about how we do and how we react, they’ll be fully professional, Southampton, as you’d expect, they ran Forest Green very close the first game.”