SUFFERING SAINTS
Hasenhuttl fears four key men could miss clash with Fulham
SOUTHAMPTON have been hit by an injury crisis for the festive period which threatens to derail their fine start to the season.
Top scorer Danny Ings is unlikely to play against Fulham on Boxing Day because of a hamstring injury, But Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl now faces the prospect of being without three other key players.
Midfielder Oriol Romeu is definitely out as he is suspended while key centre- back Jannik Vestergaard has a knee injury and winger Nathan Redmond a hip problem.
Scotland midfielder Stuart Armstrong injured his hand in training yesterday, but is expected to recover in time.
The Saints manager, whose team are seventh in the Premier League, said: “We have some issues after the very intense week we have had, with three games in six days. Some guys are struggling.
“Some of them have not trained – Danny, Jannik, Nathan. We have a few issues and will have to look at them over the next two to three days. Stuart should be OK for the weekend. I don’t have to tell you how important Jannik has been for us over the past few games – he has had issues with his knee, he felt a bit of fluid.
“He is normally a player that pain does not stop him playing – we’re still scanning him. Hopefully, he is not out for too long.
“With Danny we don’t know how long he will be out for, if he is ready for the weekend.
“We have to have a look – but nobody can play a Premier League game without training during the week, so time is running out.
“With Nathan it is a muscle problem. He is not that stable in the hips. He had problems after the last game, and he is carrying some problems from the summer.”
Ings, who has six goals this term, returned at the start of December after a month out with a knee problem, but the striker was hurt in the 1- 0 defeat by Manchester City on Saturday.