GOALKEEPER Alex McCarthy admits Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was "deeply missed" as he was forced to manage the team from home on Tuesday evening.

After a member of his household tested positive for coronavirus this week, Hasenhuttl is currently self-isolating at his Southampton apartment and coached the team via a video link as Saints drew 0-0 with West Ham United at St Mary's.

It remains unclear exactly when he will be able to return to the club's Staplewood training ground, with Saints next in action against Liverpool on Monday.

In Hasenhuttl's absence, assistant coach Richard Kitzbichler led the team from the touchline, with Hasenhuttl in constant communication from a link with the bench.

The game itself was largely forgettable with Saints failing to seriously test Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, aside from Danny Ings netting early in the first half, with the effort ruled out for offside.

Asked if it was strange not having Hasenhuttl barking orders from the touchline, McCarthy told the Daily Echo: "Yeah, definitely. He was deeply missed.

"Obviously he’s such a big presence in the dressing room and around the team.

"We spoke to him, he was on the big screen before the game, at half-time and after the game. It was very different without having him here, but hopefully he’ll be back soon."

McCarthy has now kept back-to-back clean sheets for Saints following Boxing Day's goalless draw at Fulham as well as the Hammers stalemate.

Just as the game looked to be petering out, the 31-year-old was called into his first meaningful action of the night, brilliantly denying Said Benrahma a late winner with a close-range stop.

"It’s just keeping concentration for the full 90 minutes," said McCarthy when quizzed about that save.

"Obviously the ball fell to Benrahma and then I just tried to make myself as big as possible and thankfully it hit me in the chest and stayed out.

"I’m delighted to get another clean sheet. Obviously it’s not just down to me, the boys in front were solid.

"There weren’t that many chances either end but I think we’re just missing that little bit in the final third at the moment, but it will come."

Discussing the draw as a whole, the former Crystal Palace man said: "I think if you go in the dressing room and you speak to a lot of the lads, obviously we’re disappointed with that.

"It shows you how far we’ve come, but considering in recent games we’ve had against West Ham, it’s always been difficult against them.

"They make it hard to play against so we’ll take a point and a clean sheet, but obviously would’ve liked to have taken all three."