Southampton’s Championship clash against Sunderland this weekend is in doubt as the club awaits assessment.
The Saints were due to host Preston North End on Wednesday evening but a nearby fire meant the game had to be postponed.
The fire started in the early hours of the afternoon in a warehouse located opposite St Mary’s Stadium. It is not yet clear what damage the blaze caused.
Motorists have been advised to stay clear of the surrounding area as several roads have been cordoned off.
Will Southampton v Sunderland go ahead?
As it stands, the game is still scheduled to take place on Saturday afternoon, though, according to the Daily Echo, it ‘hangs in the balance’. The stadium will now be assessed for any smoke damage.
The emergency services released a statement on Thursday morning, which read: “Crews remain at the fire that has affected industrial units near St Mary’s football stadium, Southampton.
“There are currently 4 Fire engines, 1 Aerial Ladder Platform and other specialist vehicles in attendance. People in the area are advised to keep windows and doors closed due to the amount of smoke that is still in the area.
“Some roads local to the incident are closed and people are advised to avoid the area to allow movements of emergency vehicles.”
What it means for Southampton’s fixture list
Southampton now have a pile-up of fixtures heading into the latter stages of the gruelling 46-game campaign.
The South Coast club have 11 games remaining and must find room to reschedule their clash against Preston and now potentially Sunderland.
Four fixture slots are available, all of which fall in mid-week. The weeks commencing March 11th, April 15th, April 22nd and April 29th are the potential dates on offer to reschedule.
Russell Martin will now have to contend with a congested run of games, which will see his side play their remaining 10 in the space of 36 days.
The former Swansea City boss will have to consider resting and rotating some of his key players, which is far from ideal as they chase down the top two in the hunt for automatic promotion.
Southampton reside eight points adrift of second-placed Ipswich Town and 11 from league-leaders Leicester City, both of whom have played a game more.
The season is due to end on the 4th of May, when they meet Leeds United at Elland Road in what could be a decisive match in the thrilling promotion race.