RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted he had some injury “issues” at Saints ahead of Boxing Day’s Premier League showdown at Fulham (3pm), with three key members of his squad yet to train this week.

Danny Ings (hamstring), Jannik Vestergaard (knee) and Nathan Redmond (muscle problem) are all facing a race to be fit for the clash with the Cottagers.

Midfielder Oriol Romeu is suspended, while the boss is hopeful Stuart Armstrong will be fit after someone stepped on his hand in training.

Asked for an assessment of his group ahead of Saturday’s trip to Craven Cottage, Hasenhuttl said: “It’s a little bit early in the week but we have some issues, definitely.

“After a very intense week last week with three games in six days, you can see there are some guys who are struggling a little bit.

“It’s early in the week but I can only tell you who didn’t train so far. That is Ingsy, Jannik Vestergaard and Redmond.

“Nobody can play a Premier League game without training during the week and time is running.

“Oriol is suspended so we have a few issues. Stuey had a problem with his hand with somebody stepping on it – I think it’s not a problem.

“We have a few issues and we must have a look in the next two or three days.

“It’s never nice if you have some injury problems, whoever it is.

“Jannik, I don’t need to tell you how important he was in the last games for us. Ingsy is not also not really to discuss and Reddy is also a player with quality that helps us immediately.

“It is how it is and we have to look at who is available at the weekend. It is why we have a bigger squad.

“We have a lot of games coming up now and it’s definitely not the best time to be injured.”

Shedding some more light on the injury to Vestergaard, who has impressed since regaining his place at centre-half, Hasenhuttl said: “Jannik had a few issues with his knee this week, he felt a little bit of fluid in the knee.

“Now we must have a look where it is coming from, what we can do.

“Jannik is normally a player that definitely can get some pain without immediately stopping playing – I am still positive for the weekend and I cannot tell you more because we are still scanning him and trying to find why he has problems.

“Hopefully he is not out too long.”