After selling Jose Fonte on Friday, Southampton are likely also to be without Virgil van Dijk for their biggest game of the season on Wednesday night in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
Van Dijk was a colossal influence in their 1-0 first-leg win at St Mary’s two weeks ago but injured an ankle in the 3-0 victory against Leicester City on Sunday and manager Claude Puel is now preparing to partner Maya Yoshida with Jack Stephens. Puel is awaiting the results of a scan to Van Dijk and retains some small hope that he could play but is adamant that Stephens, who has never started a Premier League game for Southampton, can step up.
“If he has to play, I think he will with a good spirit,” said Puel. “He’s a good player, an international under-21, intelligent and can anticipate. I have all my confidence in Jack. It’s not a problem.”
As well as Van Dijk, Puel is awaiting a final decision this morning on the fitness of Steve Davis. Following Fonte’s £ 8 million sale to West Ham United, Puel has appointed Van Dijk captain “of the team” and Davis what he calls the “captain of the club, the dressing room”.
Of Van Dijk, Puel said: “It’s a good kick on his ankle. I think it’s not serious but I don’t know if he can participate.”
Josh Sims has signed a new contract at Southampton which ties the academy graduate to St Mary’s until 2020.
The 19-year-old has played eight times for Claude Puel’s side this season after breaking into the first-team set-up on the south coast.
Sims, who has also represented England at Under-18 level, made an instant impact as he set up Charlie Austin to score the only goal of the game in a victory over Everton in November.
He has also featured for the Saints in the Europa League and now wants to continue his progress having penned a fresh three-and-a-half year deal.
Josh Sims has signed a new contract at Southampton which ties the academy graduate to St Mary’s until 2020.
The 19-year-old has played eight times for Claude Puel’s side this season after breaking into the first-team set-up on the south coast.
Sims, who has also represented England at under-18 level, made an instant impact as he set up Charlie Austin to score the only goal of the game in a victory over Everton in November.
He has also featured for the Saints in the Europa League and now wants to continue his progress having penned a fresh three-and-a-half year deal.
“I’m absolutely delighted to signed a new contract with the club,” Sims told the club’s official website. "I’m really happy that the club have put faith in me to offer me a new contract.
"I can’t really put into words how good it has been recently, but I just need to push on now and continue my progress.
“I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to sign here. This is definitely the club for me to help me progress and aspire to be like some of the other Academy graduates to have come through.”
Southampton have produced several well-known players through their academy, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Adam Lallana having come through the ranks at the club.
And Les Reed, executive director of football, is pleased that Sims has followed in the footsteps of the next set of young hopefuls to commit to the Saints.
“We’re thrilled that Josh has extended his commitment to Southampton Football Club until at least 2020,” Reed said.
“Following on from Harrison Reed, Sam McQueen and Jake Hesketh earlier in the season, we’re delighted that yet another Academy graduate believes they’re in the right place to continue their development.”
Virgil van Dijk has caught the eye of the Prem big boys - including Liverpool
The Southampton captain is a serious doubt the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final at Anfield on Wednesday after injuring his ankle at the weekend.
Van Dijk is awaiting the results of a scan after hobbling out of Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester and leaving St Mary’s with a protective boot on his left foot.
Rookie centre back Jack Stephens is on standby to play the biggest game of his career if Van Dijk is not passed fit.
Boss Claude Puel, whose hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg, said: “Van Dijk is having a scan and I am waiting for the result. I don’t know the situation.
“It’s a kick on his ankle and he could not continue the game on Sunday. It is not serious but I don’t know if he can participate in the next game.”
WHICH Premier League team has the best shot conversion rate this season?
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Manchester United were tipped to challenge for top spot this season but are well off the pace being set by leaders Chelsea.
Jose Mourinho’s men are 14 points adrift of the rampant Blues – and is their shooting to blame?
Only 12 per cent of their shots have hit the back of the net this season, which could explain the three losses and eight draws they’ve suffered so far.
Bournemouth and West Brom are well above United, along with their neighbours Manchester City.
But which team has the highest percentage of shots scored in the Premier League?
Patrice Evra: In January 2006 the French left-back moved from Monaco to Manchester United and became a mainstay at Old Trafford
“Liverpool landed Luis Suarez from Ajax in 2011 and he was mega hit at Anfield and a future Manchester United legend was snapped up from Spartak Moskow in 2006”
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Liverpool landed Luis Suarez from Ajax in 2011 and he was mega hit at Anfield and a future Manchester United legend was snapped up from Spartak Moskow in 2006.
But who else is among the best ever January transfers in the Premier League?
LIVERPOOL underwent an evening training session ahead of their crunch EFL Cup tie against Southampton on Wednesday.
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Jurgen Klopp put his players through their paces in the dark as the Reds face an uphill battle in their semi-final match as they lost 1-0 in the first leg.
Jordan Henderson practiced with the team even though he is dealing with an ongoing heel problem he suffered in 2015 and sidelined him for three months.
The England international has the incurable condition - plantar fasciitis - which limits his ability to train and his workload needs to be carefully monitored.
However, Henderson could still feature for Liverpool against Saints in the EFL Cup clash.
Liverpool trained on Monday evening ahead of their EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Southampton… but there was a notable absentee.
Philippe Coutinho was seemingly away from the squad as they were put through their paces by Jurgen Klopp before the match on Wednesday evening.
The Brazilian spent almost seven weeks on the sidelines with an ankle problem sustained in the 2-0 win against Sunderland in November.
He made his return to first-team action in the first leg against Saints a fortnight ago, coming on as a second-half substitute.
Coutinho was also a substitute against Manchester United in the Premier League, before starting against Plymouth in the FA Cup last week.
He started his first Premier League game since returning from injury in the defeat to Swansea on Saturday, but was not snapped with his teammates at training on Monday.
Joel Matip did train with his teammates, however, and is eligible to feature against Saints.
Liverpool were unable to select the defender for the matches against United and Plymouth after his country Cameroon accused him of refusing a call-up for the Africa Cup of Nations.
But Matip insisted he had retired from internationals 18 months ago and had filed the appropriate paperwork, and FIFA eventually ruled in his favour.
He made his return to action against Swansea as an 89th-minute substitute before playing an hour for the Reds’ Under-23s against Ipswich.
Matip had been out of action since December 11 with an ankle problem, and Klopp explained his decision to leave him on the bench against the Swans after the surprise defeat.
“It’s good news that we now have a positive decision, [it was] the decision we expected actually,” the German said.
"But the problem was we have training and I have to prepare a team.
"Between the two games [against Plymouth and Swansea] we had two sessions to prepare for this game properly and he was not involved because I couldn’t expect that I can use him.
"I was concentrating on the players I could use.
"For us it was too late actually, yesterday, but we could take him to the hotel, he’s in the squad so it’s all good.
“But from a football perspective, it was too late.”
Josh Sims has signed a new contract at Southampton which ties the academy graduate to St Mary’s until 2020.
The 19-year-old has played eight times for Claude Puel’s side this season after breaking into the first-team set-up on the south coast.
Sims, who has also represented England at Under-18 level, made an instant impact as he set up Charlie Austin to score the only goal of the game in a victory over Everton in November.
He has also featured for the Saints in the Europa League and now wants to continue his progress having penned a fresh three-and-a-half year deal.
‘I’m absolutely delighted to signed a new contract with the club,’ Sims told the club’s official website.
'I’m really happy that the club have put faith in me to offer me a new contract.
'I can’t really put into words how good it has been recently, but I just need to push on now and continue my progress.
‘I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to sign here. This is definitely the club for me to help me progress and aspire to be like some of the other Academy graduates to have come through.’
Southampton have produced several well-known players through their academy, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Adam Lallana having come through the ranks at the club.
And Les Reed, executive director of football, is pleased that Sims has followed in the footsteps of the next set of young hopefuls to commit to the Saints.
‘We’re thrilled that Josh has extended his commitment to Southampton Football Club until at least 2020,’ Reed said.
‘Following on from Harrison Reed, Sam McQueen and Jake Hesketh earlier in the season, we’re delighted that yet another Academy graduate believes they’re in the right place to continue their development.’
| Saints starlet seals new contractCLUBCALL |
| Gerrard advises Liverpool to move for Van DijkTHEHARDTACKLE |
| Eagles consider move for 25-year-old centre backCROYDONADVERTISER |
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day to go!
