There is an air of despondency amidst Saints fans on social media this week, just as we get the chance to top the league we have an injury crisis, but this is time to be positive, we have had injuries to key players before before and we have won games without them.

Obviously it will be tough on Friday night against Newcastle United, in truth we could have done with the International break starting this weekend, but we may be without Danny Ings, we may have to reshuffle the side but we can still win games of football.

Losing the King Of The Scummers will be a big blow, but we have won games without him, last season at Chelsea we were dismayed to find Ings rested at Chelsea and Che Adams and Michael Obafemi up front, one who was yet to score for the club and another with only a single Premier League goal to his name and that over a year earlier , yet we won 2-0.

In 2018/19 when Ralph first arrived and we were looking to drag ourselves clear of the relegation zone, Danny Ings was missing games through injury yet we still prospered, a 2-1 win at Leicester City in the January saw us without Ings and Bertrand,.Ings would not score again after Xmas that year , but we still scored goals and won games.

No Ings for the 2-0 win over Fulham, Charlie Austin being the lone striker, Ings was also missing for a 2-1 win over Spurs and a 1-0 win at Brighton, but we still won those games.

Back then when he wasn't fit the only options we really had were Shane Long and Charlie Austin, we have plenty more now.

At the back we will be struggling on Friday night, but although I am not convinced about Jack Stephens ability as a Premier League class central defender, you never hear e criticise his spirit, commitment or work rate and if he plays on Friday he will give 100%, he is capable of some good games as he showed in the restart in the summer, but not consistently enough, but against Newcastle we don't need 10 straight good games we need one.

We will have to reshuffle against the Mags that looks certain, but we have a spirit about us these days that wasn't there a year ago, it was starting to show, but it wasn't quite there now it is.

So what have we got to lose on Friday evening, there isn't a Saints fan out there who would have predicted that we would have even had a chance of going top this season, let alone doing it, whatever the result it has still been a good start to the season and injury crisis's happen we have to deal with it.

Sadly there will be no fans in St Mary's to drive the team on, as they have done in some key games not only since the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl but in the past decades, be it in obvious games like cup finals and semi's and who can forget those two semi final's against Liverpool four years ago when losing key players at the back we still won both games and went to Wembley, or lesser games when backs to the wall we got behind the team.

This set of players has a quality and a spirit that has not been seen is a Saints team for a long time, i'm devastated that Danny Ings won't be there to fire us to the top of the Premier League, but I know that there are plenty who could do just that and it won't be for lack of trying.

So forget the doom and gloom this is a moment we didn't expect and one to enjoy !

Photo: Action Images

erick added 10:26 - Nov 5 The squad is good enough to claim all three points, JWP should always be in that mid not a fullback. Tyreke Johnson as a leftback. I prefer Redmond to long and obafemi up top.
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SaintNick added 10:33 - Nov 5 There is the possibility of Yan Valery coming in at left back if we move Walker Peters to right back
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aceofthebase added 19:07 - Nov 5 I believe you meant to write, 'If we move Walker Peters to left back' but maybe not?!!
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