Leeds United return after the international break with another big match in their battle to avoid the drop as they host Southampton at Elland Road. The Whites will be looking to make it three wins in a row for the first time since the end of last season and extend their seven-point buffer on the bottom three.
It will be the second time this campaign that Leeds are set to face the Saints immediately after the international break. It was a very disappointing afternoon at St. Mary’s for Leeds as they failed to register a single shot in target in a 1-0 defeat.
Southampton, though, enter the clash with Leeds on the back of a poor run of form – losing each of their last four matches in all competitions, including three in the league. It has been a good season on the whole for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side despite their recent form, sitting comfortably in mid-table.
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Ahead of Saturday’s meeting, here is an early look at Southampton’s injury news.
Lyanco – hamstring
Brazilian centre back Lyanco will be absent for the trip to Elland Road as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. The 25-year-old has not featured since a 1-1 draw with Manchester City back in January, but this game is still likely to come too soon.
What Hasenhuttl’s said (Feb 08): “Lyanco is definitely out for 8-12 weeks, hopefully not too long. It’s the same injury as Jack Stephens had a few weeks ago so this is more serious.
Alex McCarthy – thigh
It is coming up to four months now since goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was last fit for the Saints, in a 1-1 draw with Brighton back in early December. Hasenhuttl has not provided a fresh update on his condition since the beginning of February, when he confirmed he had suffered a setback in training.
What Hasenhuttl’s said (Feb 03): “Suffered a setback in training. We don’t know 100% [how serious it is] at the moment. It takes a couple of weeks before we know more.”
