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Southampton: Bednarek and Lemina set for late fitness tests

By Chris Hughes

SWANSEA, WALES - MAY 08: Mark Hughes, Manager of Southampton celebrates during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Southampton at Liberty Stadium on May 8, 2018 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SWANSEA, WALES - MAY 08: Mark Hughes, Manager of Southampton celebrates during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Southampton at Liberty Stadium on May 8, 2018 in Swansea, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) /
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Ahead of Southampton’s final game of the season, two first-team players are set to have late decisions made on their fitness.

Jan Bednarek’s setback comes after he was substituted with a suspected head injury following a clash with Saints stopper Alex McCarthy is Tuesday’s win over Swansea.

Gabonese international Mario Lemina will also need to be assessed late, with the midfielder having struggled for fitness through a groin problem over the last couple of weeks or so.

Whilst both players could still feature, manager Mark Hughes has made it clear in his pre-match presser that no risks will be taken on the last day of the season.

"“Mario we’re still hopeful of getting back, but it’s touch and go. It was a hamstring issue so you’re never quite sure how quickly those resolve themselves. We’ll have to wait on that one.“Jan might miss out. Clearly, he had a bang to his head. He’ll need checking nearer the time. Apart from that we’ll have a clean bill of health.”"

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 22: Mario Lemina of Southampton and Emerson Palmieri of Chelsea in action during The Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Chelsea and Southampton at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 22: Mario Lemina of Southampton and Emerson Palmieri of Chelsea in action during The Emirates FA Cup Semi Final match between Chelsea and Southampton at Wembley Stadium on April 22, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

The Saints face the champions Manchester City this weekend knowing they’ll need to concede as little as possible, with the side needing to keep their nine-goal difference in tact as Swansea face the already-relegated Stoke City.

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Whilst it’s incredibly unlikely that the Swans – who have a league-lowest 27 goals to their name this season – will go out and score four or five, stranger things have happened.

Thankfully Maya Yoshida will return from his one-match suspension he picked up through getting sent off against Everton last weekend – he will logically slot straight into the defence where Bednarek did if the 22-year-old isn’t deemed fit to start.

This means Mark Hughes will be able to set up his side in the same five-at-the-back formation that has dug the Saints out of the bottom three, with Southampton currently one spot and three points clear of the drop.

Assuming Lemina’s hamstring problem hasn’t fully recovered by Sunday, Southampton fans will be happy to see Oriol Romeu partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjberg in the middle of the park. The latter has enjoyed a resurgent campaign and has arguably been the Saints’ most consistent midfielder this season.

Southampton versus Manchester City kicks off this Sunday at St. Mary’s Stadium at 3:00PM.

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