Claude Puel has given an injury update on his squad ahead of the game against the Cherries on Saturday.

Manolo Gabbiadini will miss the game against Bournemouth on Saturday with the groin injury picked up against Spurs a couple of weeks ago.

"I think that Gabbiadini cannot play this game,” said Puel. "He is not available, but we will see for the next one."

The French manager was probably being cautious in not rushing the Italian striker back too early and I would expect him to also miss the Palace game on Wednesday, Puel will feel he has the strike power to handle these two fixtures and will concentrate on getting Gabbiadini fir to face West Brom next weekend.

One man who wont replace Gabbiadini is Charlie Austin who is still not ready to return.

"Charlie has made progress,” Puel stated. "He needs to see his doctor from the surgery, but all the process is good for him.

"At the moment he trains alone, but he is doing good work and I hope he can come back in three weeks, I think."

Apart from those two the only other absentees will be the long term injured, Virgil Van Dijk is still a way off being able to play and Puel said that "We will have to see if he is ready before the end of the season"

Saints will be keen to make sure that Van Dijk does not do permanent damage by returning too early from his ankle injury.

Jeremy Pied is back in training but not ready for action and Matt Targett is still out.

However Puel will feel that he still has the squad to take on and beat Bournemouth and even without Gabbiadini he has the firepower to win the game with Jay Rodriguez and Shane Long chomping at the bit.

Photo: Action Images

Sanguin added 15:50 - Mar 30 The question is: has he played his last game for Saints?
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saintmark1976 added 18:27 - Mar 30 The manager in reference to VVD, "we will have to see if he is ready before the end of the season".Perhaps just a subtle way of saying "that's it, you won't see him in a Saints shirt again"? I sincerely hope I am wrong but can't help but think that our recent close season antics would suggest otherwise.
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dixiefrog added 21:59 - Mar 30 Gabbi out but with Redmond and Long up front we'll easily have enough to see off Bournemouth, the goal machine may be crocked but I see all three points to Saints.
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SaintBrock added 13:33 - Mar 31 Strange one really as Manolo was clearly OK to kick a ball hard enough for the Sure video the other day. Puel seemed to imply that he might be OK for Wednesday, maybe getting some game time towards the end to see how he hold up physically. If that went well he would probably start next weekend. Nothing that Puel said about VVD could possible be construed as him suggesting that VVD will not be here next season. Just the opposite in fact, he was strongly hinting that he expects his 'Capitan' to be here. OK that might be a less than opaque hint to Reed & Co not to sell him but it seems to me that it would even be in VVD's best interest to stay for another year (or two?)

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