Claude Puel’s Southampton got back to winning ways on Sunday courtesy of a 1-0 win over Everton, managed by former Saints boss Ronald Koeman.

The Toffees manager left St Mary’s for Goodison Park in the summer, and was replaced on the South Coast by Frenchman Puel, who managed Nice prior to moving to Southampton.

And, despite a sluggish start which saw him win none of his first four Premier League games, Puel will be pretty satisfied with how things have gone in his first three months in charge.

The Saints are tenth in the league table having won four and drawn five of their opening 13 matches, with their success over Everton on Sunday their first top-flight victory since October 16.

Once again, Southampton have proved tough to beat this season, and their tally of 12 goals against is the third best in the league behind leaders Chelsea and third place Manchester City.

Also, Puel’s men have performed well in the Europa League this season, their first taste of European competition in 12 years, and look set to make the knockout stages should they beat Hapoel Be’er Sheva in their final group game at St Mary’s on December 8.

With January fast approaching, speculation is increasing about who Puel could look to sign in the transfer window in a bid to keep his team competitive on all fronts come the New Year.

One area he may have to look at is his defence, so here is the dream Saints defence, including one key January target…

RB – Cedric Soares

Right-back Cedric Soares has struggled a bit with injury since joining Southampton last year, but when he’s been fit, he’s proven to be an excellent full-back.

Part of the Portugal team that won Euro 2016, the 25-year-old has transferred some of that form into this season’s Premier League, and is considerably better than the other right-back option Cuco Martina.

Soares has played the Saints’ last two league games, after returning from injury, and plenty more impressive displays at full-back will keep him in the side for the foreseeable future.

CB – Kevin Wimmer

The bedrock of the Southampton side in past seasons has been their reliable back four, which has been as solid and dependable as any in the top-flight.

However, captain Jose Fonte turns 33 in December and, with reported interest in the Portuguese international over the summer, he could be set to leave the club, especially if the Saints refuse to sell fellow centre-half Virgil van Dijk.

Thus, a new centre-back may be needed, and one they’ve been loosely linked with is Tottenham’s Kevin Wimmer.

The 24-year-old deputised for the injured Jan Vertonghen at the end of last season and performed well alongside Toby Alderweireld, as Spurs ended the season having conceded the joint-least amount of goals in the top-flight.

Wimmer’s nine starts yielded just six goals and, although he hasn’t looked wholly convincing this time around, a run of games and regular starts could be needed to get him settled into the role.

A partnership between him and van Dijk could lay the foundations at Southampton for many years to come.

CB – Virgil van Dijk

Arguably the best defender in the Premier League so far this season, the best piece of business Southampton can do in January is to keep Virgil van Dijk at St Mary’s.

He has been outstanding, both defensively when called upon, but also with the ball at his feet – he can doing everything most modern managers want from a centre-back.

Unsurprisingly, several Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Everton, and Manchester City, are eyeing up a move on the former Celtic defender, but he’s so important to this Saints team that they have to do all they can to keep him at the club.

LB – Ryan Bertrand

Ryan Bertrand had to leave Chelsea in 2015, as his first team opportunities became scarce and his immediate future looked bleak, and it’s Southampton who have seriously benefitted from his decision to leave Stamford Bridge.

The England international spent the first half of the 2014/15 season on loan at St Mary’s, and excellent displays at full-back in a brilliant Saints defence saw him make the move permanent in February 2015.

Bertrand is arguably Danny Rose’s nearest challenger to the number one left-back spot in the England team and, if he continues to perform at a high level for Southampton, then he’ll give interim boss Gareth Southgate plenty to think about going forward.