Southampton have three Championship games to try and make up five points on the automatic promotion places.
Had Russell Martin‘s side managed to hold onto the 1-0 lead Joe Aribo gave them against Cardiff City on Saturday they would be within just two points of second-place Ipswich Town.
However, it was a case of a huge opportunity missed as Southampton failed to make their dominance count, conceding twice in the second-half to lose 2-1.
Southampton missed a host of chances, particularly in the first-half, and were left to rue what might have been as they departed the Welsh capital.
Going into the game they were already without first-choice goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, with the achilles injury he picked up in the warm-up against Preston likely to see the Irishman face a significant period out.
Having come off at half-time in the 3-0 win over Preston on Tuesday, Southampton also had to make do without Flynn Downes who missed this one with a knock.
Ryan Manning was withdrawn at half-time at Cardiff, also with a knock, before Stuart Armstrong was stretchered off late on with what looks like a season-ending injury.
Southampton have worrying record without Flynn Downes
As well as the growing injury list, the biggest concern will be the individuals who are missing.
Bazunu has been the undisputed number one in the league this season and had played every minute prior to his injury. Alex McCarthy is the goalkeeper that has been trusted to take the youngster’s place despite the fact Joe Lumley has made the bench ahead of him for the bulk of the season.
Manning is replaceable with James Bree a capable deputy, but it leaves Southampton light at full-back if he is to be missing for any prolonged period of time.
Armstrong is Southampton’s most experienced outfield player at 32, and has an air of calmness as a result. His ability to drive his side up the pitch has also been invaluable this season and will be sorely missed.
However, arguably the biggest loss is Downes, and Southampton will be hoping that he is able to return for Leicester on Tuesday.
That is because, since Downes joined on loan in August, Southampton have won just two of the nine games he has missed in the league.
This is an incredibly concerning statistic when you consider that Downes has missed just under a quarter of the Saints’ league games since signing according to Transfermarkt.
Should Shea Charles be Downes replacement?
Perhaps the strangest part of Martin’s team selection against Cardiff was that he played Will Smallbone in Downes’ usual holding midfield position.
The Southampton boss, who also managed Downes at Swansea City, has spoken about how he views the 25-year-old as the ‘best in the league’ and on that basis he is always going to be difficult to replace.
Martin lavished praise on the West Ham United loanee earlier in the campaign too, after his fine display in a 3-1 home win over Birmingham City in October.
Martin said: “Flynn has been monstrous. Physically he is a beast and he has so much composure on the ball. His teammates really appreciate the role that he has because it’s so tough being that guy.”
The fact that it was Smallbone who was chosen to fill the huge void left by Downes was a questionable one given 20-year-old Shea Charles had his best game in a Southampton shirt playing that role in the second-half against Preston on Wednesday.
Charles had been left out of the squad for the game prior to that and looked as though he had a point to prove as he showed he should be Downes’ understudy.
However, Martin opted for the more experienced but less combative Smallbone and you could argue that, given the defeat, the decision did not pay off.
Should Downes not be able to prove his fitness ahead of Leicester on Tuesday, surely it will be Charles who is entrusted with the number six role over Smallbone.