Relieved Saints manager Ronald Koeman has a clean bill of health after his players returned unscathed from international duty.

Saints had most of their senior squad representing their nations over the past fortnight, but everybody is fit for the game against Stoke on Saturday.

That includes Virgil van Dijk, who was forced to pull out of the Dutch squad with a minor injury, but has since trained with his Saints teammates.

Koeman said: “Everybody is back. The last one was Sadio and everybody of course tired but no injuries and that’s always good news.

“If you have 16 or 17 players away for two weeks or ten days then always the question is if everybody is back without any problem.”

Of Van Dijk he added: “He’s ok. He came back after the last Friday game, Wales v Holland, and he had some good days of treatment and he did good normal training session and if there is no any reaction of that he will be available for the weekend.”

Shane Long is also available again after figuring for the Republic of Ireland, though Koeman did admit his surprise that after five weeks out he was thrust in so quickly.

“The same. I was very surprised he was playing 40 minutes, but ok if the player is fit.

“The player didn’t train for five or six weeks, had only one training session on the Sunday and that is why I was surprised.”