Southampton forward Danny Ings has reportedly played a huge role in the club’s decision to award Shane Long a new contract.
According to The Express, Ings urged the club to give Long a new deal as he loves playing alongside him for the Saints.
The report claims that Ings believes Long is his best strike partner at the club, ahead of both Michael Obafemi and Che Adams.
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One of the reasons why Ings loves playing with Long could be the space that the Irishman creates for him to work in.
Long is constantly working the channels and making runs to open up the pitch for Ings through the middle. His work rate allows Ings to take up positions in the penalty area and make runs towards the goal, as Long draws defenders away from the centre and into wide areas.
This could be why Ings wants Long to stay, so that he can continue to find space through the middle and, based on the evidence of this season, it is working brilliantly for the English forward.
Ings has scored 17 goals in all competitions, to Long’s two, and has been in red-hot form in front of goal. Without Long’s tireless running, though, Ings may not have had the space he needed to take some of his chances.
Hopefully, Long will be able to continue doing this throughout the rest of this season and the 2020/21 campaign in order for Ings to maintain his levels.
This could, however, be a blow to Obafemi and Adams as Long staying at the club could limit their game time going forward if Ralph Hasenhuttl settles on Ings and Long as his favoured strike partnership.
