Saints have only one option, win and close the gap.

Saints can make Huddersfield feel the squeeze for the first time if they dispense with Oldham at St Mary's tonight. A win would see Colchester leapfrogged and the Yorkshire side within five points aand then the pressure is on for the final three games of the season.

Alan Pardew will have to make one enforced change and that is to replace the suspended Morgan Schneiderlin in midfield and the question is whether he will replace like for like and keep a five man midfield or if he will stay with the 4-4-2 that played the second half on Saturday, well at least till the final minutes when the manager really did gamble and win.

But the French midfielder may not be the only person missing as Pardew has spoken of the need to freshen up the side, its good to hear him say that as this has perhaps been a failing earlier in the season as we have tended to rely on the same players far too much, some of those who have bided their time on the bench need to be used.

A good case for this is Papa Waigo, truth is he offers Saints a little bit of Guile and enthusiasm that is ometimes missing when Antonio is preferrred and for that reason I would like to see him in the starting line up on the right side of midfield, not only does he have an eye for goal, but as he showed on Saturday he knows how to cross a ball as well.

Oldham arrive for their first ever game at SMS perhaps not realising that they could still have a big say in Saints fate, if Charlton go to Exeter and lose on Saturday they then face a big game at home to Leeds, if the worst happens and they lose both of them, they then face a last day trip to Oldham and if Saints do their job only a win would be good enough, its a long shot but at this moment Saints have to take every straw.

The Latics arent technically safe from relegation just yet, indeed if they lose here and thats aligned with a Tranmere win at Brentford then they will be a little too close for comfort, however with Southend at Boundary Park on Saturday they should secure their place in League 1 then.

Away from home they generally keep it tight, six wins, five draws and ten defeats is a decent enough return, better than Colchester in fact, but goals are not at a premium, they have only scored 16 on their travels, but the 26 conceded in 11 games is very good and better than many top six teams, indeed Norwich themselves have only let in 25 on the road.

So it will not be an easy task for Saints, Oldham are going to be hard to break down and it is just this type of side Saints have often struggled to deal with, it will need guile it will need as i mentioned earlier an attacking formation including Waigo.

Saints should have enough in reserve to beat the Latics who have often been party poopers at the Dell in the past, winning in 93/94 to drag us right back into the relegation dogfight. and who can forget that League Cup tie in 89/90 when they equalised in the last minute to deny Saints a semi final place after a replay on their then plastic pitch.

It will need everything tonight from both fans and players, yes its a home win on paper but we need to get this game won.    

Photo: Action Images

Leeds United Polls