Southampton: Team news and predicted line-up for FA Cup Semi-Final
By Marc Walker
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has confirmed that he has no new injury concerns ahead of his side’s FA Cup Semi-Final clash with Leicester City.
Fitness has returned to the Saints squad to provide Hasenhuttl with more options and it appears that he has one more player back in training this week.
Speaking to the media, he said:
"“No more injuries from the last game. We still have everybody, and a few players are coming back for the first time in a long time.“Michael Obafemi is back in training but it’s too early for playing a game at the weekend, so still with Will Smallbone and Oriol Romeu we have two players out and the rest are training with us at the moment.”"
Southampton’s first-choice stars will have to up their game
After their last result, Saints will really need to make sure their levels of performance are high.
The 3-0 loss to West Brom was a shock and saw them as second best for much of proceedings at the Hawthorns, but things will get even tougher on Sunday with high-flying Leicester in front of them.
Michael Obafemi’s return to full fitness will obviously not be this week but we will hopefully see him taking a place in a matchday squad somewhen soon.
They will have to defend as a unit and not allow their structure to become too stretched – something that West Brom preyed upon with gaps in between the midfield and defensive line.
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Despite his contract issue off the field, Danny Ings could well prove the difference for Saints. They must get him involved heavily in attacking areas and give him the opportunity to work a sight of goal.
Leicester sit third in the Premier League table and are well on track for Champions League qualification but will be eyeing glory in the FA Cup too.
Ahead of meeting Saints, the Foxes are without Harvey Barnes but could be boosted by the return to fitness of Caglar Soyuncu and Cengiz Under. James Maddison, Ayoze Perez and Hamza Choudhury could also come back into consideration after a disciplinary matter.
Predicted Saints line-up
Fraser Forster; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Jannik Vestergaard, Ryan Bertrand; James Ward-Prowse, Ibrahima Diallo; Stuart Armstrong, Moussa Djenepo; Danny Ings, Che Adams
Ralph Hasenhuttl has some decisions to make after the loss to West Brom. Either he gives the players who started that game a chance to put things right or he changes things up slightly.
Moussa Djenepo and Che Adams may be in line to come in to the attack after energetic cameos last Monday. Early substitutions could prove crucial and Hasenhuttl must use all his options earlier than he did last time out.