MAYA Yoshida has had the chance to prove a point to Mark Hughes during the international break and ahead of a defining period for Saints.

Jack Stephens and Wesley Hoedt have been Saints’ first-choice partnership at centre-back for the last eleven games in all competitions, but have helped keep just one clean sheet in eight Premier League outings together.

Fellow centre-half, Yoshida, who has made 21 appearances in all competitions this term, missed four games through February and March because of a knee injury, returning to the bench in the 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Wigan Athletic ten days ago.

Now, the 29-year-old has been back in full training and skipped international duty with Japan to rebuild his fitness at Staplewood in preparation for Saints’ massive Premier League run-in and FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

He’ll now hope that’s he’s done enough to be considered an option by Hughes, as the Welshman prepares for his first Premier League matches in charge at relegation rivals West Ham on Saturday.

Hoedt and Stephens have formed a partnership through most of 2018 so far, playing every game next to each-other since the 2-2 draw with Watford on January 13.

It, therefore, seems unlikely Hughes, who replaced Mauricio Pellegrino as Saints boss two weeks’ ago, will want to split the two up at this late stage, but Yoshida poses an intriguing option, considering his experience and dedication.

Last season, Yoshida and Stephens proved a hard-working and effective duo at the back after Jose Fonte’s exit to West Ham and Virgil van Dijk’s long-term injury, so there’s history for Hughes to reflect on.

Yoshida, who has made 154 appearances for Saints, will be very keen to break back into the side too, especially with the World Cup looming large on the horizon.

He played at the World Cup in 2014 for Japan and has been a mainstay for the Blue Samurai throughout qualifying for the Russia tournament, which starts in mid-June.

As well as this, in a difficult time for the club, Yoshida is a highly important and well-respected member of the dressing room, because of his leadership qualities and experience.

The defender, who joined from VVV-Venlo in 2012, is among the longest-serving members of the squad, too, and has always spoken passionately about his devotion to the Saints cause and has previously captained the team.

Before his injury-enforced absence Yoshida, who signed a new three-year contract at Saints last summer, was one of a few players who fronted up and spoke to the press during the ongoing turbulent period.

“It’s not passing responsibility to others, which is ridiculous, every man must take responsibility,” he said back in December after one win in ten games. “I’m going to be the first one.”

Yoshida has been perennially a back-up at Saints during nearly six seasons at St Mary’s, but grew in influence last term after Fonte’s departure.

With Van Dijk exiled from the team last summer, he began this campaign as virtually first-choice centre-back, playing all four of Pellegrino’s opening games in charge.

In all Yoshida started all but four of Saints’ 22 opening Premier League matches, partnering Van Dijk before his £75m exit to Liverpool as well as both Hoedt and Stephens.

But partly because of injuries, he has been behind Stephens and Hoedt in the pecking order in 2018 to this point.

Those two have had some suspect moments, but there is optimism they will continue to progress with both still developing, although Yoshida is certainly an option to consider.