Southampton injury news: three big fitness doubts for Saints’ Fulham trip

The festive football period has begun and Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has three big injury worries ahead of the Boxing Day fixture against Fulham.

Saints striker Danny Ings picked up a hamstring injury in his team’s 1-0 home loss to Manchester City last weekend and is reportedly taking longer to recover from that than initially expected.

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Nathan Redmond, who recently regained fitness after recuperating from injury alongside Ings, is also crocked. He came on as a substitute against City, but also has muscle problems and could miss Fulham.

Southampton’s towering defender Jannik Vestergaard is also expected to miss out on the Fulham game. The Danish international has been one of Saints’ best players this season, but hasn’t been able to train after sustaining a knee injury.

In fact, none of Ings, Redmond, nor Vestergaard were able to train this week according to Hasenhuttl.

This means Mohammed Salisu could be in line to make his Southampton debut in place of Vestergaard. If not, it’s expected that Jack Stephens will be the man to deputise.

Another man who can make his first start for Saints is Ibrahima Diallo. The summer signing from Stade Brest is likely to be called upon to stand in for the suspended Oriol Romeu this afternoon.