Fresh from the international break, Russell Martin has provided a positive injury update on one Southampton player ahead of his side’s next game up against Manchester United.
Southampton injury news
The last thing that Southampton need is for their injury list to grow at this stage of the campaign. The Saints are still in search of their first victory back in the Premier League, with their difficult start summed up by their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford before the international break. It was a defeat that featured yet another mistake from playing out from the back, but Martin has insisted that the criticism has not made any impact on his approach.
The Southampton boss told the press via the Southern Daily Echo: “The noise heightens in the Premier League but it really doesn’t impact or affect what I do, what we do. I find it quite interesting and sometimes quite enjoy some of the comments.
“Certain people say things that I think would love to play with a team like this because they’re really good players and they understand what we do and why we do it.
“They could actually build an understanding and have an opinion, but people are paid to have an opinion, and sometimes based on very little evidence. You can say what you want and don’t get called back about it two or three months later, whereas everything I say, you will question at any point.”
The visit of Manchester United is, therefore, almost certain to feature the same risky style in the hunt for that crucial reward against a side who were caught out in possession themselves against Liverpool before the international break.
Amid the criticism, Martin also confirmed that Kamaldeen Sulemana is in line for a return, even if it doesn’t come as early as this weekend. The Saints boss said: “Maxwel Cornet’s in the squad. Everyone is pretty much fit now apart from Kamaldeen.
“Kamaldeen is very, very close to being fit. We have a big squad and it’s going to be a lot of selection headaches to get into the squad, let alone the starting XI.”
“Electric” Sulemana must discover best form
Since arriving at St Mary’s for a reported £22m in January of 2022 – earning £40k-a-week in the process – Sulemana has failed to find his best form. But he is still just 22 years old and a player with plenty of potential who may yet make the ultimate impact at a crucial time for Martin’s side. Analyst Ben Mattinson is certainly a fan, describing Sulemana as a winger with “electric pace” last August.
Martin’s side could certainly do with an injection of attacking impetus, given that they’ve managed just one goal in three games, and Sulemana may well add exactly that on his return.
