SAINTS legend Jim Steele fears Jose Fonte and Virgil Van Dijk will be missed on League Cup final day.

Steele, man of the match when Saints won the FA Cup in 1976, believes central defence is the weak spot as Claude Puel's men prepare to take on a Manchester United side including 24-goal Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

He said: "I'd be over the moon if Saints win and hopefully we can kick ass - but I can't see it.

"I think Puel screwed up with Fonte. Why didn't he play him in the Europa League games? He should have played every game alongside Van Dijk.

"I'm sure Van Dijk will be going for £40-50m in the summer. We're going to miss them so much, they were brilliant together."

Jack Stephens is likely to continue alongside Maya Yoshida in the absence of long-term injury victim Van Dijk.

"I don't think they can play the new centre-half (Martin Caceres) as he hasn't played for a year, so it's going to be hard for the young kid," continued Steele. "The pressure on him will be tremendous."

Like most Saints fans, Steele has not been a fan of the rotation policy this season.

"Whoever is behind it - whether it's Puel or Les Reed - the team has been changed too much.

"In my day I knew where the likes of Stokesy was running."

Memories of the late Bobby Stokes will be rekindled for many when Saints take on United tomorrow.

"Stokesy would run, run and run," recalls Steele, who will be watching at home in West End. "He was good as gold but after getting a car for scoring the winner in '76 Stokesy sold it because he couldn't drive!

"He used to get the train from Cosham every day so Mick Channon told him not to give the money to the lads - and he didn't!

"He kept it and fair play to him! I don't think he could handle finishing playing football.

"All Bobby wanted to do was play football all his life - after football he didn't know what to do."