MANOLO Gabbiadini has been a lost soul at Saints of late but the FA Cup presents an opportunity for the Italian to pick himself up off the floor.

Saints face the worst team in the Premier League, West Bromwich Albion, in their fifth-round FA Cup game on Saturday, and Gabbiadini can use this as a catalyst to relaunch his ailing St Mary’s career.

Alan Pardew’s side have shipped nine goals in their last three games – even Mauricio Pellegrino’s notoriously goal-shy men put three past them two weeks’ ago.

Now the Baggies face a Saints forward line who are in desperate need of goals and confidence as they battle against relegation in the Premier League.

Guido Carrillo has yet to score in 217 minutes since his club-record £19.2m move from Monaco last month, while Shane Long has one goal in 24 games.

Carrillo remains an unknown quantity in many ways, having had just two shots on target in two starts and will likely continue to bed in at The Hawthorns.

Certainly, the 26-year-old has shown glimpses of his ability, but it is Gabbiadini who can be a huge asset in their battle for survival in the Premier League.

The Italy international currently looks the shadow of the player he was when he burst onto the scene last January, firing six goals in four games, including a brace in the League Cup final.

He has started just ten games in all competitions this season and was reportedly looking to get out of Saints in last month’s transfer window.

Yet, the former Napoli man stayed amid interest from Serie A clubs, with Pellegrino adamant he could be important to Saints if he could rediscover his form.

“He’s an important player for us,” the boss said. “He’s not playing too much right now but is one of our main strikers, our main players, and I want to keep him.”

It would therefore be logical if Pellegrino finally threw out a lifeline to Gabbiadini and gave him a chance at West Brom to try and relight his fires.

Gabbiadini is known to score in streaks. He threatened to explode earlier this season after netting a brace against Newcastle in October.

However, the former Sampdoria man has started just four games in 22 games in all competitions since the Magpies draw.

Now Pellegrino can hand him a start and, perhaps, Gabbiadini can once again be Saints’ goal hero.