AUSTIN GETS IN GEAR FOR RESCUE ACT

CHARLIE AUSTIN is fit again and on a mission to fire Southampton to safety after admitting watching their slide down the table was torture. Austin (below) is set to return in Saturday’s clash at fellow strugglers West Ham after 14 weeks out with a hamstring injury. He said: “It’s been a frustrating time. “All the hard work I’ve done with the physios has paid off and hopefully I can stay fit until the end of the season. “Before the injury I was in such good form and that was the hard thing because I had to bide my time for ages to get into the team and then when I did get in I was playing well. “We’ve a big eight weeks and I’ll put all my energy into these eight weeks to help the team drive forward and stay in the Premier League.”