Southampton face another huge game in the Championship as they travel to Leicester City on Tuesday evening.
Russell Martin knows his side’s automatic promotion chances are slim, with a 2-1 defeat against Cardiff City on Saturday hugely damaging.
Leicester are top of the league, just one point above Leeds United and two above third-placed Ipswich Town. The gap to Southampton in fourth is greater, with the Saints six points off second with three to play.
The last-gasp loss against Cardiff ended a run of three consecutive wins for Southampton and they must quickly find their form again ahead of a likely play-off campaign.
They will have to do so without goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who will be sidelined far beyond this season.
Stuart Armstrong will also not feature again this season after being stretchered off late on against Cardiff. The fact the 32-year-old’s contract expires in the summer meaning he faces an uncertain future.
Whilst we already knew those two would not be involved, Martin provided a fitness an update on another member of his squad ahead of the trip to Leicester.
Russell Martin must make decision on Ryan Manning v Leicester
That player is Ryan Manning.
The left-back has been in decent form of late, but was withdrawn at half-time against Cardiff with a knock and it was unclear whether he would be fit to face Leicester.
Southampton already had to try and cope without Flynn Downes on Saturday and Martin has since hinted he may not risk the midfielder for Leicester given automatic promotion is now unlikely and it appears he could do the same with Manning.
Speaking ahead of the clash with Leicester, Martin was asked about the 27-year-old full-back and confirmed: “Ryan was feeling better as the game wore on. He will be assessed. He was assessed on Sunday and it felt a bit better.
“It’s now about if we risk him for one game and then maybe lose him for another one. We will have to wait and see.”
Russell Martin has options at full-back
Whilst it may appear a good idea to let Manning sit out the Leicester game, anything other than a win ends all hopes of automatic promotion.
Given achieving a top two spot is out of Southampton’s hands, Martin may not deem it worth risking the player he brought with him from Swansea City.
However, the 38-year-old manager insisted the decision would come down to tactics more so than managing Manning’s injury, insisting he is confident regardless of which full-backs he picks.
Martin said: “I think we will play the one that’s most suited to our game plan, how we want to build up how and how we want to play.
“What we see is going to be really important for us. We have three talented full-backs and two of them can play at any point because they’re good.
“We’ll put the best two on the pitch for this game and then that might change again on Saturday and moving forward.
Kyle Walker-Peters is likely to start, although he was surprisingly omitted in an equally big game against Ipswich Town on Easter Monday.
That would leave Martin with a decision to make between Manning and James Bree, with the latter likely to play on the right with Walker-Peters at left-back.