Southampton fans were left wincing after seeing James Ward-Prowse stretchered off against Tottenham in the FA Cup.
The midfielder went down clutching his right knee after a challenge from Tottenham’s Ryan Sessegnon and was then forced to leave the pitch on a stretcher in pain.
After the game, Ralph Hasenhuttl told BBC Solent journalist Adam Blackmore that Ward-Prowse has suffered a deep cut to his knee but that he could be fit for their next Premier League clash.
Twitter: Some good news #saintsfc
Ralph says Ward-Prowse injury is only a deep cut, not worse – might be fit for Burnley 🙏👍 https://t.co/qqxZQ7KLoj (@AdamBlackmore)
However, how could Southampton cope with the loss of Ward-Prowse if he does miss any games?
Whilst Ward-Prowse was deputising at right-back, it is the midfield that needs to be looked at. Kyle Walker-Peters could make his debut in defence, after being ineligible to face his parent club Spurs, which means that Hasenhuttl would need to decide who starts alongside captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in midfield.
Oriol Romeu started against Spurs, but failed to produce a convincing performance. He was sloppy in possession and gave the ball away numerous times, either passing to a Tottenham player or kicking it out of play inadvertently.
Romeu also committed a series of needless fouls, eventually leading to a yellow card, which disrupted the flow of Southampton’s game.
Who else could fill the role? Stuart Armstrong.
The midfielder returned from injury to take his place on the bench and came on as an attacking midfielder, but is also capable of playing as one of the two numbe eights in the side. Romeu is more of a defensive-minded midfielder who sits back and likes to try to protect the back four, whilst Armstrong is a player who wants to play on the front foot. He will buzz about the pitch looking to win the ball back and make things happen in an attacking sense.
This means that Armstrong could be the better option for Hasenhuttl, as his energetic midfield play could complement Hojbjerg’s play – much like Ward-Prowse had been doing.
Romeu, meanwhile, would detract from Southampton’s attacking play, due to his defensive instincts and reliance on passing back to the centre-backs or sideways, whereas Armstrong is forward-thinking and likes to play facing the opposition goal.
