Ralph Hasenhuttl hailed Moussa Djenepo as “unbelievable” after his goal inspired Southampton to a 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
The Mali international was a major doubt ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane but was surprisingly included in the starting line-up.
After beginning the match as a left wing-back, Djenepo moved into a more advanced position in his preferred wide attacking role and took the mantle to lead Saints to yet another win on the road.
The summer signing danced past Oliver Norwood before coolly picking his spot to beat Dean Henderson in front of the adoring Saints faithful in the 66th minute.
Hasenhuttl, as quoted by The Daily Echo after the match, reserved plenty of praise for Djenepo. He said:
First I have to thank my physios that they made him fit for this week because it was very close but they did a fantastic job. Thank you to them.
Finally, when he has the ball in these positions it is unbelievable. He can shoot and he is so quick and good movements.
It’s the second goal for him and it’s fantastic and it was an important one.
Read Southampton’s verdict
Djenepo is already looking like one of the signings of the season. He joined for just £14 million from Standard Liege in the summer; in a market that now promotes exorbitant transfer fees for somewhat ordinary players, this is looking like a massive bargain.
He has been among Southampton’s most impressive performers in the early stages of the campaign, and he could hardly have hoped for a better start to life in the Premier League.
Djenepo has shown a willingness to carry out his defensive duties, along with tactical flexibility that was not necessarily displayed during his time in Belgium. He hasn’t looked necessarily comfortable as a left wing-back, but his tackling is an underrated quality.
It’s easy to see why Hasenhuttl is happy with his start to the season, and Djenepo is already a fans’ favourite among the Southampton faithful.
