Fonte axed as Naismith earns replay
THIS was a tale of centrehalves for Southampton — the one who was dropped and the two who stepped up to score.
Captain Jose Fonte asked for a transfer last week and was left out of the squad by manager Claude Puel, who admitted afterwards that the current speculation contributed to his decision. He said: ‘I respect the possibility for Jose to see any opportunities in the window.’
Fonte may not return to face Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool this week. ‘I will take a decision tomorrow or Monday,’ Puel said.
In the absence of his captain, Puel was delighted to see goals from the two central defenders who did play, Virgil van Dijk and Maya Yoshida. They were terrific goals, Van Dijk’s a stylish volley and Yoshida’s a thumping header. Until injury time, it appeared the two strikes would be enough.
Southampton had five youth team graduates in the starting line-up, but for 19-year-old goalkeeper Harry Lewis the afternoon took a traumatic turn.
With Southampton leading after 51 minutes, Lewis was sent a simple backpass but his first touch was loose and as Cameron Jerome closed in, the goalkeeper rushed across, careering into the forward and bringing him to the ground.
Steven Whittaker scored converted the penalty but Southampton responded strongly, as Tadic tested McGovern with a stinging effort and they then retook the lead when Maya Yoshida met a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s curling cross with a bullet of a header.
But Norwich forward Steven Naismith equalised with a header in injury time, another Southampton setback following three defeats in six days in the Premier League during the festive period.