Southampton face a huge test as they travel to league leaders Leicester City on Tuesday night.
Whilst this is a massive game in the race for automatic promotion, Southampton‘s failure to beat Cardiff City on Saturday means the Saints’ chances of catching the top two are slim.
A win for Russell Martin‘s side at the King Power Stadium will turn up the heat on their promotion rivals but they will remain fourth in the Championship regardless.
Southampton had already lost goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu through injury in the warm-up for the Preston win last week but will now also have to make do without Stuart Armstrong against the Foxes.
The Scotland international was stretchered off in second-half stopping time in the 2-1 defeat to Cardiff and will not play again this season regardless of whether Southampton’s campaign is extended due to the play-offs.
Russell Martin hints at changes v Leicester
Southampton were also without one of their star players on Saturday, with Flynn Downes missing out with a knock.
Downes sustained the injury against Preston and was brought off at half-time in that one. Shea Charles was impressive as he replaced the West Ham United loanee for the second-half but was surprisingly left out against Cardiff.
Asked whether Downes would return against Leicester in his press-conference on Monday morning, Martin responded: “We’ll wait and see because now the landscape’s changed a little bit. So, it’s risk and reward I think with Flynn, we’ll see if we want to rush him back fit.”
It is interesting that Martin alluded to the fact that it is not worth risking Downes due to the fact that the most likely outcome for Southampton is now the play-offs.
The Southampton manager expanded on his answer, opening the door for some changes in the last three games of the regular Championship season, saying: “We also have other guys that need to get on the pitch and stake a claim now for the final stages of the season so we’ll have to wait and see.”
Martin should hand Samuel Edozie Leicester start
One of those players Martin reference as needing to get on the pitch could be Samuel Edozie.
The 21-year-old was a feature of the side who enjoyed a record-breaking 25 game unbeaten run between the end of September and start of February.
Edozie was in the best form of his short Southampton career prior to sustaining an injury away at Norwich City on New Years’ Day due to a nasty Jack Stacey challenge, but has struggled to have the same impact since returning.
With six goals and three assists in 15 league starts according to Transfermarkt, it has been a decent second senior season for Edozie.
However, the ex-Manchester City youth product was one of a flurry of late substitutions that failed to make an impact against Cardiff on Saturday.
Edozie has not started since the 2-1 defeat to Hull City in February and is a player who deserves an opportunity to stake a claim for the play-offs, perhaps at the expense of David Brooks.
If Edozie can recapture his form ahead of the play-offs this will be a huge bonus for Southampton and he is clearly a player Martin rates highly.
Speaking after the winger’s goalscoring performance against Swansea City in December, Martin said: “Sam was outstanding. He was brave, direct and aggressive. He had end product. He scored by pressing the goalkeeper.
“He doesn’t make that mistake unless Sam is there sprinting after him. He has been amazing.”
Now it is down to Martin to manage Edozie back to his best, starting with the trip to Leicester.