Southampton manager Simon Rusk has confirmed that he expects to be without two key defensive cogs for Sunday’s visit of Arsenal in the final Premier League gameweek of the season.
The relegated Saints went down 2-0 to Everton last weekend, and injury was added to insult when Taylor Harwood-Bellis came off with an ankle injury, one that will rule him out of this one.
In addition, Jan Bednarek is still struggling with a knee problem and is highly unlikely to make the cut, while Kyle Walker-Peters – who is out of contract next month – is a serious doubt following a recent illness.
Harwood-Bellis’s injury opened the door for Joachim Kayi Sanda to make his Premier League debut at Goodison Park last weekend, but the 18-year-old will surely lose out to the experienced Yukinari Sugawara here.
The latter can be expected to start on the right-hand side of a back three alongside Jack Stephens and Nathan Wood, while former Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale hopes to thwart his erstwhile employers.
With Walker-Peters unlikely to be involved, James Bree and Welington ought to reprise their roles in the wing-back slots, but Rusk could call upon Will Smallbone to replace Joe Aribo alongside Flynn Downes.
Ross Stewart is an alternative option in the final third, but the trio of Mateus Fernandes, Tyler Dibling and Kamaldeen Sulemana should work in tandem from the first whistle again.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Sugawara, Stephens, Wood; Bree, Smallbone, Downes, Welington; Dibling, Fernandes; Sulemana
VOTE IN THE 2024-25 SPORTS MOLE READERS’ AWARDS!
Voting is now open for the annual Sports Mole Readers’ Awards, where you can pick your player of the season, manager of the season, signing of the season and much more.
Click here to make your selections, and the winners will be announced on Monday, May 26!
No Data Analysis info
