Southampton head coach Ivan Juric is keeping his fingers crossed over Jan Bednarek‘s availability for Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Mary’s.
The Polish centre-back returned to the starting XI against Liverpool last weekend following a fatigue-related issue, but he only lasted 19 minutes before succumbing to a head injury as his side lost 3-1.
However, Juric is hopeful that Bednarek will only need to observe a six-day protocol period and will therefore be fine to feature on Saturday, but he has a ready-made replacement waiting.
Armel Bella-Kotchap stepped in for the stricken Bednarek last weekend and earned a positive review from his manager, so the 23-year-old has a strong chance of being promoted to the first XI here.
Bella-Kotchap could comprise part of an otherwise unchanged rearguard of Aaron Ramsdale, Kyle Walker-Peters, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ryan Manning, while Will Smallbone and Lesley Ugochukwu are bound to continue just ahead of the quartet.
Tyler Dibling, Mateus Fernandes and Kamaldeen Sulemana‘s spots should also be safe, as Southampton largely held their own at Anfield, so Juric is unlikely to consider wholesale alterations.
However, towering striker Paul Onuachu ought to be banging on the door for a recall up front in place of Albert Gronbaek.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bella-Kotchap, Manning; Ugochukwu, Smallbone; Dibling, Fernandes, Sulemana; Onuachu
> Click here to see how Wolves could line up for this game
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