Since James Ward Prowse last missed a minute of Premier League football for Saints a lot of things have happened in the World, so Saints playing without him is almost unimaginable, but football these days is a squad game and we can cope.
James Ward Prowse looks likely to be voted Saints player of the year this season, his main contenders, Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard & Oriol Romeu have all suffered from long injury lay offs whilst JWP has just got on with doing what he does best.
The news that he might miss the game against Burnley is therefore bad news, but it isn't a disaster and with most of the squad other than the long term injured available, Saints can cope.
The obvious option would be to move Stuart Armstrong into the centre of midfield to partner Ibranhima Diallo, the Scot is in fine form and would make the transition from out wide to the centre easily.
Indeed Ralph Hasenhuttl has plenty of options out wide with the return of Theo Walcott, he also has to decide whether Danny Ings is fit to start up front and who would be dropped to accommodate him, that could mean Nathan Redmond dropping back if Armstrong was to move into the centre.
But there could be a surprise move from the Austrian, he could fill the void with Alexandre Jankewitz, the Swiss midfielder has so far managed just 2 minutes Premier League action, the first as a sub against Aston Villa at St Mary's and the second on his full debut at Manchester United.
But he is highly rated and Saints are keen to get him some Premier League action and show him he has a future at St Mary's and at 19 he would be better being patient at Southampton than going to a European club for immediate first team football.
Jankewitz is a competitive player and that could be of use against Burnley, although for some the worry is there that he will have another rush of blood as he did at Old Trafford, hopefully though he has learned his lesson.
If James Ward Prowse isn't fit to play it will be a big blow, but it is in a position we can cover and with the injured now having returned we should realise it is a squad game these days and one player doesn't make a team, he may enhance it but it is the sum total of all parts that matters.