Southampton’s wait for a Premier League victory goes on after their defeat to Burnley last weekend, but Saints supporters here in the Tavern shouldn’t be too disheartened by the result at Turf Moor.

In a game decided by a Joey Barton (of all people) free-kick, it was a display that on another day would have been an easy three points for Claude Puel and his side but thanks to some great goalkeeping by Clarets keeper Tom Heaton, it wasn’t to be on the day.

But with the chatter amongst the Saints fans here in the Tavern increasing, it’s growing more and more important that Southampton start picking up results in order to keep pace with their rivals.

The main topic of conversation amongst them is the fact they are seriously struggling to convert their slick buildup play into goals, with their lack of cutting edge proving be a sewing motif this term.

They’ve dropped down to 13th this weekend and with Everton, Stoke and Burnley all winning, it’s important to see why some steady form is going to be important for Puel’s side.

But with a big game against Leicester City on the horizon, we think we’ve got the XI that can definitely do the business against Claudio Ranieri’s side.

So with that in mind, here’s our Southampton XI that we think will demolish the Foxes on Sunday…

GK: Fraser Forster

Fraser Forster is easily Southampton’s number one goalkeeper and that certainly isn’t going to change anytime soon. The former Celtic man is the safest pair of gloves Puel has in his ranks and you’d certainly tick off some of the regulars in the pub if you were to take him out of the first-team.

RB: Cedric Soares

Portuguese international Cedric Soares provides the Saints with a fantastic attacking right-back option and on his day, he’s one of the most underrated players in the division.

But at times, you get the impression he needs to work on the defensive side of his game too and he’ll be looking to keep things tight against a Leicester City side that are missing some big players indeed.

CB: Maya Yoshida

With Jose Fonte being left out of the squad for the Burnley game, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of Japanese international Maya Yoshida to keep the Burnley forward-line quiet and he decent job of it too.

But sadly, the Saints fans here in the pub want some reinforcements and if Fonte is sold this January, a replacement of his quality will need to be brought in.

CB: Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the most in-demand player in the Premier League right now, Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk continues to play on for the Saints, despite being linked with just about every top side in the division right now.

The Dutch defender is an integral part of what Claude Puel is trying to build at St Mary’s and if they were to sell him this winter, there would be a gaping hole in the Saints back line.

LB: Ryan Bertrand

Speedy full-back Ryan Bertrand is a solid little player in this Southampton side and he’ll be hoping to find some good form in order of increasing his chances of an England call-up when the nod comes around.

He gets forward well and defends competently too, he just needs to be a little more solid here and there and he could become quite the force for the Saints.

CM: Oriol Romeu

Former Chelsea man Oriol Romeu is the hard-hitting midfielder in this Saints three and his ability to cut the ball out and bring it forward is a massive asset in this side.

He’s not the most gracious of players in the slightest but when it comes to getting the job done, he does a cracking job for his side.

CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is becoming more and more an important player in this Saints side under Claude Puel and his performances have been promising of late too.

The 21-year-old had a lot of adapting to do when he first came to the division but thanks to injuries in this area of the pitch, he’s been given his chance to shine and is looking very promising indeed.

CM: James Ward-Prowse

Another academy graduate who is now a first-team regular, James Ward-Prowse is looking a better player each-week and his development is exciting stuff for the Saints coaches who have worked with him for years.

No doubt, the transfer mill regarding his future will strike as his performances get better and better but for now, he needs to keep his head down and continue playing good football.

RW: Nathan Redmond

He’s been Southampton’s player-of-the-season so far and it’s great to see former Birmingham City winger Nathan Redmond reaping some of the rewards for his fantastic performances this campaign.

He’s a player who has been slowly bubbling under the surface for some time now and he’s really leading from the front with goals, running and directness amongst the biggest areas of his game.

ST: Jay Rodriguez

Came on for the last 20 minutes against the Clarets and looked lively and we think it’s time for Puel to throw James Rodriguez back into the starting eleven from the off for the game against Leicester this weekend.

He’s a player who works hard and almost guarantees you goals and with Leicester City struggling this campaign, he could have a really good day against the Premier League champions.

LW: Dusan Tadic

Dusan Tadic remains the key attacking influence in this Southampton side and it’s good to see him picking up form as the season goes on.

He’s a tricky customer with some great skill in his locker and his form could very much dictate how Saints finish this season. They’ll want a strong few months from him for sure.