Jake Hesketh will bounce back from his early substitution at Hapoel Be’er Sheva, according to Claude Puel.

The 20-year-old was thrust into the Saints side to take on the Be’er Sheva in the Europa League last night after his starring role at the top of the diamond midfield against Crystal Palace in the League Cup.

However, he come under fire physically and struggled to have much of an impact, causing Puel to make the tough decision to take him off after 35 minutes and bring on Dusan Tadic.

It was vaguely reminiscent of Hesketh’s first Premier League start back in 2014 when he got clattered at Burnley and was substituted after 32 minutes.

He disappeared from Ronald Koeman’s squad after that, but Puel insists this won’t be the last Saints fans see of Hesketh in his team.

He said: “I have confidence with Jake.

“When I put him in the start of the team it’s a young player for the future but it’s important also to protect him and all the players.

“It was difficult but we will see Jake in other games and other moments and it’s not a problem.

“It was a very difficult game with pressing and with all the first half we were under pressure from the team and also the fans.

“I think I all my squad, all my team, all my players learn tonight because it was difficult conditions and I think a point is a good result.”

Puel believes that bringing Hesketh off to protect him was the best thing for the player.

“I prefer to change because it was difficult that we didn’t have the ball,” he explained.

“It was physical and I prefer to protect him and it was for me a tactical problem.

“I think it is possible if we cannot take three points away to come back with one point after this journey is ok for me.”

Saints are now in a strong position to make it through to the knockout stages of the Europa League after taking four points in their opening two games in Group K.

A double header against Inter Milan awaits but with Italians having lost both of their matches so far there is an obvious opportunity.

“I think it’s a difficult group when you can see all the teams of the group,” reckoned Puel.

“We can see the first game at home also a good team of Sparta and it was a very good performance for us in the first home game.

“Every time to win is difficult, to take points, one or three, it’s important in this mini championship.

“It’s important to keep good calm and analysis and to build our qualification.

“It’s not possible to win all the games and it’s not possible to always to dominate and have many chances so don’t take a goal and keep this point.”