Southampton could get a timely injury boost with the possible return of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Liverpool.
The 26-year-old has missed the last five matches with a fractured finger and watched from the sidelines as the Saints were convincingly swept aside by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night.
Without Ramsdale between the sticks, Southampton conceded five first-half goals against Spurs, although stand-in keeper Alex McCarthy did manage to keep the London side out in the second half.
Speaking as part of TNT Sports’ live coverage from St Mary’s, Ramsdale revealed he is closing in on a return to the team and could even be involved for the midweek cup quarter-final.
“The finger is getting more bendy, it’s getting there,” he said. “It was too soon for this game. I’m looking forward to [this] week. We have two games that I’m hoping to be involved in.
“It’s about making sure it’s fixed properly. Making sure it doesn’t get injured again is the main priority.”
Without Ramsdale in the team, Southampton struggled to settle on a reliable deputy, with McCarthy playing in two of the five matches, while Joe Lumley started in the other three.
However, deciding on a possible replacement if Ramsdale isn’t available is no longer a concern for Russell Martin, who was dismissed as Southampton manager within hours of the 5-0 drubbing on Sunday.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot on the touchline with Russell Martin.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot on the touchline with Russell Martin. (Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)
“It was a tough one to watch,” Ramsdale conceded, prior to the news about Martin. “It must have been a lot harder to play. After the work you put in, to go behind that quickly and be 5-0 down at half-time, I can’t imagine the feeling playing that second half.
“We have to just forget about it really quickly, which is easier said than done. I am sure it will be a real tough one for the boys, but we’ve got to go again. We’ve got a big game and one we can try to get into the semi-final of the cup on Wednesday.”
Under-21s manager Simon Rusk will take charge of Wednesday night’s match following Martin’s sacking. The former Stockport County manager joined Southampton from Nottingham Forest last summer and has also spent time at Brighton & Hove Albion and England during his coaching career.
As for Ramsdale, the ex-Arsenal and Bournemouth stopper has played 10 times since his switch to the south coast last summer. He has kept just one clean sheet since signing for Southampton, which came in a 1-0 win over Everton at the start of November.