Ralph taking Ings carefully
SOUTHAMPTON boss Ralph Hasenhuttl says he will not risk a Marcus Rashfordstyle breakdown by running Danny Ings into the ground.
The in-form striker is in the frame for a place in England’s Euro 2020 plans after both Rashford and Harry Kane suffered long-term injuries.
When quizzed on the issue of player welfare ahead of Saints’ trip to Crystal Palace tonight, Hasenhuttl said: “It is a big topic in my mind.
“We have three games in a week and it’s good we gave him a rest at Christmas. He did not play against Chelsea.
“Everybody wants to play all of the time. Nobody comes to say ‘I cannot play because I am tired’ – it will never happen.
“With his history of injuries, we have done it right so far over the season. He is also in a different mode. He can work more and is generally fitter.
“It is tough for every player and, especially in our shape, the strikers have to do a lot of intense highspeed running.
“This is normally not possible to do three times a week and this is why I like to rotate in the front positions.”
In contrast to Ings, midfielder James Ward-Prowse is Saints’ marathon man after playing every minute of all 22 Premier League games this season.
Hasenhuttl added: “I don’t know how he does it to be honest. His physical strength is unbelievable but even he takes a lot of time to recover.
“It is also mental strength he has. It is not easy for him to make a lot of sprints but he seems to handle it.”
Liverpool’s home PL record since that defeat against Crystal Palace is...
Their only home defeats in any competition since then were against West Brom in the FA Cup in Jan 2018 (2-3) and against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup in September 2018 (1-2).