Southampton are locked in a fascinating tussle at the top of the Championship with Russell Martin explaining which of his players ‘trains like a beast’.
Southampton were resigned to finishing in the play-offs following their defeat to Ipswich Town at the start of this month.
A three-horse race for promotion between Ipswich, Leicester and Leeds was anticipated however, the promotion pendulum has swung back in Russell Martin‘s favour following a kind run of results.
As their rivals have dropped off in the last two matches, Southampton have collected maximum points against Coventry City, Watford and Preston North End.
In the 3-0 win over Preston on Tuesday night, Martin was struck with horrendous news as starting goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu injured his Achilles pre-match.
Veteran goalkeeper Alex McCarthy replaced the 22-year-old with the Saints boss confirming he would miss the remainder of the campaign.
Having controversially won his place in the starting XI over backup keeper Joe Lumley, McCarthy experienced a quiet night as Preston only registered one shot on target.
Russell Martin explains why he started Alex McCarthy vs Preston
Lumley is Martin’s second-choice goalkeeper. He deputised for Bazunu for their run to the fifth round of the FA Cup and gave a solid account for himself.
Many expected the 29-year-old to replace Bazunu against Preston, as McCarthy wasn’t initially named in the squad, so it was a shock when he was left on the bench.
McCarthy stepped in for his first appearance since August when Southampton were beaten 3-1 by Gillingham in the first round of the EFL Cup.
Although it was a controversial decision, Martin has watched him ‘train like a beast’ and believes he deserved his chance between the sticks.
“I thought Al was brilliant. He’s trained so well,” Martin told the Daily Echo. It could have been so easy for him to be deemed as third choice because he’s not on the bench.
“He’s travelled everywhere, trains like a beast, supports the other goalies, the experience he has. He’s played for England and he’s a really good goalkeeper.
A season-defining decision awaits Russell Martin
Martin now has to decide whether to keep McCarthy in goal or replace him for Lumley ahead of the trip to Cardiff City.
The veteran shot-stopper was hardly tested against Preston, but you’d be surprised if that was the case against the Welsh side.
Following Tuesday night’s win, Martin explained they have another ‘selection problem’ this weekend, which suggests he’s deciding whether to start Lumley.
After keeping a clean sheet, it seems ridiculous to drop McCarthy, but as the Saints boss wants to take a thorough look at both keepers in action, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him dropped.
That said, Southampton have reached a stage of their campaign where continuity is vital, so chopping and changing his goalkeeper isn’t an ideal scenario.