Claude Puel insists Saints are not about to start blaming injuries for their recent patchy form.

The Saints boss was keen to deflect questions about whether he has been cursed with bad luck on the injury front this season in a campaign that has seen him so often robbed of key players.

With probably his two biggest stars, Charlie Austin and Virgil van Dijk, ruled out for significant periods it has hurt Saints.

Add to that the number of minor problems along the way and Puel could be forgiven for seeking to place some blame for Saints’ recent problems, which has seen them perform inconsistently, on injury problems.

However, he is having none of it.

He said: “I don’t like to come back with injuries because it is important always to look forward and to continue the work.

“It would be difficult for any team to lose Charlie, who was our best striker with his goals, and now the chief of our defence and our captain, and Sofiane Boufal injured with the surgery at the beginning and now an injury and suspension with his national team.

“All this is difficult of course, but we have to give always the good answer and to find the good solution.

“It is an opportunity for other players to show their qualities and I respect this.

“Sometimes it is difficult for the recovery and for example to make a lot of rotation against Arsenal in the cup, but it was an obligation because we had nine players injured. It was not possible to keep fit all the players every time.

“It is difficult but it’s not just for me but the staff and the players also because they don’t like to lose.

“I think it is strengthening for the future because after this bad moment, bad period, we will come back strong for this game, the final and the games after because it’s a fantastic game to play after the final against great teams and we can learn in this bad moment with strong character it is very interesting for the future.

“For the moment it is difficult but we see other players with a good spirit, good attitude and what I can see this week was interesting with the quality and the character of the team. Now I would like on the pitch on Saturday.”

Puel will have another defensive option in place if Martin Caceres is given a work permit and joins up with the squad next week, but ahead of today’s trip to Sunderland the manager is focussed on trying to make the best of what he has at his disposal.

“I think with the absence of Virgil we know it is an important player for us and our captain,” admitted Puel.

“He is one of the best defenders in the Premier League and we cannot replace him with the same players, the same possibilities.

“Jack Stephens is a good young player and he improve quickly because it’s important and he can show his quality.

“I think the answer is collective and to give a little more for everyone and to give a solution with a good concentration with a good defence.

“All this is very important to compensate the absence of Virgil with a lot of concentration about the defence, but for all the team with the free kicks, with the play, on the quality, we can do better, and it is important to make good and strong work to compensate the absence.”