Depleted Southampton handed major boost ahead of trip to Newcastle United
Southampton have been handed a boost ahead of their trip to Newcastle United after Jan Bednarek’s red card against Manchester United was overturned.
The Saints head to Tyneside on the back of a 9-0 hammering at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening, and with a squad so short on bodies that Ralph Hasenhuttl was forced to hand two teenagers their debuts.
One of those players, Swiss midfielder Alex Jankewitz, lasted just two minutes of his full debut before being red-carded for a horror challenge on Scott McTominay.
Hasenhuttl is likely to still be without trio Theo Walcott, Oriol Romeu and Ibrahima Diallo who limped off early last weekend against Aston Villa.
Defenders Kyle Walkers-Peters and Jannik Westergaard are also injured, as is Michael Obafemi. Nathan Tella and Mohamed Salisu are also missing, along with long-term absentee William Smallbone.
Bednarek’s availability is huge boost for the Saints, who could also hand a debut to Takumi Minamino after he joined on loan from Liverpool on deadline day.
A statement from The FA said: “Jan Bednarek will be available for Southampton FC’s next fixture after an Independent Regulatory Commission upheld a claim of wrongful dismissal and removed his suspension.
“The defender was sent off for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity during a Premier League fixture against Manchester United FC on Tuesday [02/02/21].”