Ralph Hasenhuttl is contemplating pairing Shane Long and Danny Ings together in a new look Saints frontline.

The pair have yet to start a game together under Hasenhuttl but the Saints boss is considering fielding them against Wolves at St Mary’s tomorrow.

Ings was forced to sit out the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool as he was ineligible to face his parent club. Long was drafted into the starting line-up and took his chance by scoring against the Premier League title hopefuls.

Long is the only Saints striker to score in 2019, but with Ings having only featured in five matches this year due to injury, Hasenhuttl is keen to call upon his quality.

He could get out of the dilemma of choosing between the two by selecting them both.

He said: “Longy showed in the last games when he’s coming in or starting the games that he’s a good package for me.

“He works hard, he has deep runs, and a different style to Ingsy.

“Ings is more in the red zone with good turns in the box.

“You have to know what you need in this game. Maybe both.

“I didn’t say that we have this two strikers in this position as the only chance we need – I also see Longy also in other positions. He can play as a number ten or with Reddy at the very front.

“It’s possible like this against Brighton and was very good.

“We also have Stuey (Armstrong) and Simsy (Sims) and Moi (Elyounoussi) as good number tens who can play this position.

“I have at the front six or seven players for three or four positions and then have to decide whether I need deeper runs or more players in the red zone and this costs me a lot thinking about the right shape.”

Ings has had a frustrating time this year.

Injury has robbed him of much match time and no sooner had he made a return against Brighton then he was made to sit out against his parent club.

However, there is now no reason to suggest he won’t be able to figure in the final six matches for Saints as Hasenhuttl’s men hope his quality can guide them to Premier League safety.

“He’s always itching to go and with energy and wanting to train very hard and to come back in the team and score again,” smiled Hasenhuttl.

“It’s a very interesting atmosphere in the team and a good balance of having fun with what they are doing but also very concentrated on the training sessions and the video sessions.

“I think we need this because we all know we can make a big step at the weekend against a strong team and we need a big performance.

“Everybody knows how difficult it will be at the weekend and we need the best performance to get the chance to win.”