JACK WILL BE ALL RIGHT IN BATTLE WITH SUPERSTARS

CLAUDE PUEL is backing Jack Stephens to shackle Manchester United’s attacking superstars in the biggest match of his young career.

The sale of Jose Fonte and the injury to Virgil van Dijk will see the former Plymouth trainee (below, tackling Arsenal’s Jeff ReineAdelaide), 23, given the task of marking Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co in only his ninth Southampton start.

The Saints head coach insists his side are the “underdogs”.

But Puel (below) said: “Jack and the other young players are staying calm and focused on what they have to do. We’ll see if Jack starts this game, but for me of course I have confidence in the player and the squad.

“I am not surprised about Ibrahimovic because I know him very well from the French League. He’s a character player. But all the players can play in my team against Ibrahimovic. We will give a good answer.”

Puel was involved in an infamous match against Manchester United a decade ago this week when Ryan Giggs scored a quick free-kick against Lille in the Champions League last 16 – and his players threatened to walk off.

The quiet Frenchman erupted with rage – Sir Alex Ferguson called his behaviour “disgraceful” – but Puel vowed to show the same fury if his side face any injustice tomorrow.

“I was just angry about the freekick because he did not allow us to put up a wall,” he recalled.

“There was no respect for us and the referee made a mistake. After this game, for the rest of the competition, all the players had to wait for the referee to blow their whistle before they were allowed to try to shoot.

“Now it would be the same because it was a mistake of the referee and it gave an opportunity to Giggs. In different games during my career there are times when you get angry.”