RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could play as a left-back at the Etihad Stadium today.

The Saints captain was used in that role during the club’s 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday.

With Ryan Bertrand suspended, Hasenhuttl is looking at players who are good in one-on-one situations to fill the gaps, which means Hojbjerg could be deployed in defence again.

“In general, it’s important for us to find stabilisation in this position on both sides,” claimed the Austrian.

“We need to find stability and good one-on-one quality, and this is what we didn’t have in the last games.

“In the last game it was, I think, better from Pierre on the left side.

“He had a very difficult opponent in Mahrez but he did a good job and did something I must praise him for because he’s not a normal left back.

“I want him and need him to play there because we need him to play well and he has good one-against-one duels and we need him there and we need the same on the other side.

“He has a good one-against-one quality in defence and we don’t have many options for this position and we have to find one and if you find one you have to support it as much as possible.

“If we do he can help us but if we criticise because it’s not his best position – we must find solutions. We have issues and I need to find solutions. This is my job and I do it every day 24 hours.

“I am happy Pierre showed in this position that he is an alternative for me.”

Due to injuries at the back, Hasenhuttl has been forced to chop and change his side around, as well as the formations he deploys.

This has led to a lack of stability within the team due to the players not knowing whether they will be playing from one week to the next.

However, Hasenhuttl pointed to the fact that it was only a few weeks ago that he was picking the same starting XI on a regular basis before injuries started to hamper his selections.

“We had a stable team when we won and drew and then had a few injuries and this stable team was gone,” explained Hasenhuttl.

“Moussa is coming back, Cedric is coming back, and it gives me more options to play the way I want to play.

“I’m not the guy who wants to sit back with ten players in front of the box. This is not my game in general.

“Sometimes it is necessary like on Tuesday but normally we play much more active and earlier pressing and higher pressing and more committed.

“This what we are looking for and the players coming back will help us with that.”