While they are excited about having the advantage after the first leg of the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, all is not well when it comes to the Premier League for the Southampton fans in the Football Transfer Tavern.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Burnley was their fourth successive top flight loss and one which has seen the Saints slip down to 13th in the table, closer to the relegation places and beginning to make the supporters standing at the bar look nervously over their shoulders.

The south coast outfit’s manager Claude Puel has come under scrutiny from the supporters for a perceived boring style of play – as well as making a number of changes to his starting XI on a game-by-game basis – and he is under pressure to help the club climb back up the standings.

While they tend to dominate matches and generally have a host of chances, their biggest problem has been putting the ball in the back of the net – they have scored just 19 goals in 21 Premier League fixtures this term – and the punters and the landlord are demanding that at least one striker is brought into the club during the next couple of weeks.

Here are THREE January signings that would relieve the pressure on Saints boss Puel…

Jermain Defoe

Southampton haven’t been a side that have bought players for the short-term in recent years, but they could do a lot worse than take a look at Sunderland striker Defoe this month.

Saints’ main problem this season has been putting the ball in the back of the net with Nathan Redmond, Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez all struggling to find the target on a consistent basis – their poor finishing has often had the punters banging their heads against the tavern bar!

Despite being 33 and not being in line with the south coast outfit’s philosophy when it comes to adding to the squad, it is hard not to be impressed with Defoe’s total of 12 Premier League goals for the Mackems this term – which is 60% of his side’s return in the top division this campaign – and it is an addition that would get the thumbs up from the landlord.

Gylfi Sigurdsson

While they will be linked with moves for French players because of manager Claude Puel, Saints might be best off looking for experienced Premier League players as they look to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.

A lack of goals from midfield has been a huge problem for Puel’s side this season – and a huge frustration for the Southampton fans standing at the bar – with only James Ward-Prowse and Dusan Tadic getting on the scoresheet – once each in a 3-0 win against West Ham earlier in the campaign.

They would be nuts not to have Sigurdsson on their radar, and the Swansea midfielder would certainly go some way to solving that issue as the Iceland international has netted five league goals for the Welsh outfit this term, despite them currently being bottom of the table.

Michy Batshuayi

Despite his impressive goalscoring record in France, Batshuayi has found it hard to break into Antonio Conte’s first team at Chelsea following his summer move from Marseille and the striker is yet to start a Premier League match for the Blues – a lack of match fitness would certainly be a concern for the landlord.

Even when their top goalscorer Diego Costa was missing at the weekend, the Belgium international still had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench and he could be looking for more regular football for the remainder of the season – the punters in the tavern would take anyone who is a proven clinical finisher at the moment!

Claude Puel knows the 23-year-old well from his time managing in France, and the attacker would certainly be an upgrade on what is currently at the Frenchman’s disposal at St Mary’s, but it is uncertain whether Batshuayi will be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge this month.

What do you think, Saints fans? Let us know below.