Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed after Southampton’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa that Jack Stephens brushed off a minor neck problem to help his side to three crucial points.
Stephens was able to nod home Saints’ second of the afternoon to contribute to a vital victory, which lifted them above their opponents and out of the relegation zone for Christmas.
However, Hasenhuttl revealed that a stiff neck on Friday could have harmed his chances of featuring at Villa Park.
The boss, as quoted by Southampton’s official club website, thanked his team of physios for helping Stephens to be ready for the game. He said:
Jack had a stiff neck yesterday so congrats to the physios who made him fit.
Finally, we showed Jack a video before the game where he scored, so maybe he was motivated but it’s always good to have a defender who can score.
Read Southampton’s verdict
Danny Ings will rightly take plenty of the plaudits for his excellent showing at Villa, but Stephens deserves a lot of praise too.
He was confident on the ball, largely dominant in his defensive duels and capped a fine performance with a really good header.
He’s been Southampton’s best-performing centre-back this season, and while he is not without his flaws, he is in a decent vein of form.
