Steven Caulker will be given the chance to help Saints to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup after Jose Fonte was ruled out of tonight’s game against Liverpool.

Saints skipper Fonte was forced off during the first half of Saints’ 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday with a cut knee.

The club had hoped the centre half would be available to face Liverpool at St Mary’s, but have accepted that he won’t make it with plenty of swelling still around the injury.

Caulker came on to replace Fonte at the Etihad Stadium and put in a solid display.

Ronald Koeman has confirmed Caulker will get a first major chance to impress after his summer move to the club against the Reds this evening.

He said: “Jose Fonte is not available.

“We have good hope that he will be fit for the Saturday game. That is a good option.

“I was very pleased how Steven came onto the pitch and did a great job against City and he will start.”

Caulker is on a season long loan at Saints from QPR but has found his chances limited with the first choice centre back pairing of Fonte and Virgil van Dijk having performed so well.

Tonight he is likely to be up against Christian Benteke, which will represent a difficult evening but also a chance to shine.

“Yes, but maybe Steven is as strong as Benteke, if he plays,” reflected Koeman. “And that’s not a problem for Steven because he is physically a strong defender and has the confidence to start.

“Maybe he had some difficulties in the beginning and of course Jose was in front and Virgil in front in both positions Steven can play, and I’m not a manager who changes a lot if the team is doing well, but now, that’s always the question to the players, when they get the chance, you have to take it.

“And that’s also the reason after Saturday that I said to Steven he will start.”

Koeman also has options up front, with Graziano Pelle returning from a one game, and Shane Long having scored against City in the big man’s absence.

“He did it well,” said Koeman of Long’s display at the Etihad. “He was dangerous against City.

“Maybe in some situations when we played a bit more the long ball he can be more dangerous than he was last Saturday.

“He scored the goal, but that’s always a reason.

“Centre back is centre back and we almost always play with four defenders normally, but we have different options up front to play Graziano with Shane.

“We have played several times with Sadio behind Graziano. Sadio can play to the right, play to the left, Dusan.

“We have different options and we take the best one that we think.”