Southampton could be without as many as seven players for Friday's Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

The Saints are still having to cope without goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale (finger) and Gavin Bazunu (Achilles) as well as Jan Bednarek (knee), Ross Stewart and William Smallbone (both hamstring), while Russell Martin has confirmed that Ex-Brighton man Adam Lallana is ruled out for "a couple of weeks" after sustaining a hamstring injury in last weekend's 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool.

Paul Onuachu was also forced off against the Premier League leaders after picking up a knee injury, but the striker's issue has been described as "just a niggle" so he could be involved in some capacity at the Amex.

Alex McCarthy and Flynn Downes endured an afternoon to forget for the Saints against Liverpool, but they are both expected to continue in goal and in defence respectively, with the latter set to line up in a back three next to Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jack Stephens.

Ryan Manning and Yukinari Sugawara will push Kyle Walker-Peters and Ryan Fraser for starts at wing-back, while the absence of Lallana could see Joe Aribo handed a start in centre-midfield alongside Matheus Fernandes, who scored against Liverpool last time out.

Adam Armstrong also made the net ripple last weekend and he is in contention to play in attack with Tyler Dibling and either Cameron Archer or Ben Brereton Diaz, who are set to compete for the final spot in the final third, with Onuachu unlikely to start.

Southampton possible starting lineup: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Downes, Stephens, Manning; Aribo, Fernandes; Dibling, Archer, Armstrong

> Click here to see how Brighton & Hove Albion could line up for this contest

Written by
Oliver Thomas