What could have been had Charlie Austin not dislocated his shoulder in early December.

The striker had netted nine goals in 19 appearances and was on course for a stunning first full season at St Mary's.

However, that injury against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Europa League sidelined him for more than four months.

He's only just returned to full first-team training now, having missed a significant chunk of the Premier League season and the EFL Cup final at Wembley.

Such is proof of his value, that his nine goals in all competitions means he's still top-scorer for the club this term.

His finishing in the box is a huge asset and his robust style which he still has from his non-league days has been a real miss.

Manolo Gabbiadini came in and went some way to being Austin's stand in, with six goals in his first four Saints appearances.

But such has been Saints' luck this term that the Italian was injured and has struggled to replicate that form in his last few games.

For his impact in the early part of the season, Austin deserves to be a contender for the player of the season.

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