Will Smallbone joins Southampton’s injury list

Posted Monday, January 18, 2021 by PA

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was dealt another blow after he confirmed midfielder Will Smallbone had picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 20-year-old could face up to six months on the sidelines and joins Hasenhuttl’s already extensive injury list with six senior players on the sidelines.

Top goalscorer Danny Ings, who has been in self isolation after contracting coronavirus earlier this month, is unlikely to be back in time to feature against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup.

Shrewsbury have number two Aaron Wilbraham and interim first-team coach Dave Longwell in charge with manager Steve Cotterill in hospital after contracting coronavirus.

Cotterill spent part of the weekend in intensive care having his oxygen levels boosted, but his assistant Wilbraham says the 56-year-old former Stoke and Sunderland boss is “on the mend”.

Midfielder David Davis was not signed in time to make his debut for the League One club at St Mary’s.

Shrewsbury’s players only returned to training on Friday after a 10-day break following a coronavirus outbreak in camp, and Wilbraham said one unnamed player continues to self-isolate and will miss the tie.

Southampton provisional squad: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Armstrong, Valery, Ward-Prowse, N’Lundulu, Long, Adams, McCarthy, Vokins, Walcott, Ferry, Tchaptchet, Watts, Chauke, Valery.