Southampton midfielder Will Smallbone has been ruled out of the club’s clash with Newcastle this weekend, potentially opening the door for Kyle Walker-Peters.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has revealed that Smallbone has been struggling with illness throughout the week and as such, he will not be fit enough to play against Steve Bruce’s side on Saturday.
Twitter: #saintsfc Midfielder Stuart Armstrong will miss Saturday’s game v Newcastle with concussion
Will Smallbone has bee… https://t.co/LXfaH250vD (@AdamBlackmore)
Smallbone has started the last two Premier League matches, resulting in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa and a 3-1 defeat away to West Ham.
This could open the door for defender Walker-Peters to make his return to the starting XI. He has only made one appearance since joining the club on loan from Tottenham in January and has not had any minutes in the last two Premier League matches.
However, with Smallbone out, it could mean that James Ward-Prowse – who was filling in at right-back, could move back into midfield. If Ward-Prowse slots back in alongside Pierre-Emile Hojberg, it could allow Walker-Peters to start at right-back.
If this is the case, Walker-Peters could have an excellent opportunity to stake a claim for his position and nail down the right-back role in Hasenhuttl’s team. If he can produce a good performance and show that he has the ability to perform at Premier League level, Hasenhuttl could show more faith in him and continue to give him minutes between now and the end of the campaign.
The 22-year-old looked comfortable on the ball on his debut but was caught out defensively at times. If he can be more positionally aware off the ball, and retain his effectiveness on the ball, he could be a good asset for the Saints.
