RALPH Hasenhuttl described Nathan Redmond’s latest injury as a “muscle problem” and admitted: “He is not that stable in the hips like he should be.”

The Saints winger has not yet trained this week ahead of Boxing Day’s Premier League showdown with Fulham – meaning he could miss the trip to Craven Cottage.

He missed games against Wolves and Manchester United through a hamstring injury last month and has come off the bench in Saints’ past four league fixtures on his return.

Asked about the 26-year-old’s latest injury setback Hasenhuttl said: “It is again a muscle problem.

“He is not that stable in the hips like he should be.

“He had immediately problems after the last game, he is carrying with him some deficits from the summer and this is the reason again why he is injured.

“It is always something that without a good pre-season it is tough to find the highest level.”

The Austrian boss added: “We are playing now a very intensive game.

“We had a very intense one in the last game which was by far the hardest test we have had against Man City, and you could feel that the players were really going to the limits.

“For a few players this is not an issue. They are so fit and can handle this, but for others it can immediately cost them muscle problems.”