This excellent Southampton star needs a well-earned rest following sensational form

Divin Mubama's England U21s callup, which was confirmed today, now means Southampton have seven players on international duty during the upcoming international break.

Unsurprisingly, Cyle Larin has been called up to the Canada national side, after his explosive seven goal return in the Championship this season.

Alongside the potent number nine, Daniel Peretz, Finn Azaz, Ryan Manning, and Kuryu Matsuki stick out as the other notable first-team faces who will be kept busy over the long break to follow, playing for their respective nations.

For the others, back at St. Mary's, the three-week lull in second-tier action will allow them to get some rest, after a breakneck start to the season has seen the matches come thick and fast.

James Ward-Prowse will likely benefit from some time out of the demanding Championship, as he has been ever-present, since sealing a later summer return to his boyhood club in August.

Ward-Prowse's excellent return

With Caspar Jander set to remain sidelined for the clash against Wrexham on Saturday, Eckert will presumably keep Ward-Prowse in his starting XI in Wales as one of the two holding midfielders.

Since his return was confirmed, with the promotion chasers snapping back up their iconic playmaker for only £800k, the 31-year-old has hardly been out of the first-team spotlight, with three full 90 minute matches coming his way across a tight seven day turnaround in September.

He hasn't look leggy, in all fairness, with a crazy stat emerging at the full-time whistle of the 4-1 win over Bristol City.

Indeed, the midfield veteran has covered a mightily impressive 11.1km per 90 minutes, which is the joint most distance covered by a single player on average in Eckert's camp, with Flynn Downes - his trusty midfield comrade - coming in with the exact same high numbers.

There would have been an anxiety in the air that Ward-Prowse would return and look way off the pace, having played very infrequently over the past couple of seasons.

But, he has rolled back the years effortlessly so far on home soil, with a 92% pass accuracy averaged, as well, in Championship action, seeing him quietly dictate the play.

His form has been so inspired, it's not a given that the aforementioned Jander will instantly return to the central midfield when he's back up to fitness.

Ward-Prowse will benefit from this drawn-out break, still, so he can try to keep up this sterling early form, as overplaying him could be detrimental.

He will benefit from a break

While his early days back at his boyhood club have been sensational, it would have been unrealistic to expect him to keep these amazing levels up, if there wasn't a three week break arriving at their door.

Indeed, last season, for both West Ham United and Burnley, he would only play 18 Premier League games in total, so more unrelenting starts might have started to take their toll on the classy number 30.

This is where the break comes in handy, even if it is frustrating as it disrupts Southampton's superb, free-flowing run of matches, as he can have some downtime, and then come back reenergised for whirlwind clashes to come in October.

With Jander tipped to be in amongst the first team picture again for the South Coast Derby next month, too, there will also be a lot of rotation coming, meaning Ward-Prowse will remain fresh, and hopefully, sustain this phenomenal return to home roots.

The free-kick wizard would love his first goal back in Saints’ red and white to come against Pompey, as he's well aware of the magnitude of such a hostile game.

The expectation will be that Ward-Prowse delivers another polished and composed display at St. Mary's when the bread and butter of the second tier kicks back in, away from any dreams of him powering home a memorable free-kick, as he's becoming quietly crucial to how Eckert and Co. tick.

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