RALPH Hasenhuttl confirmed absent Jan Bednarek was available but left him out because “it seemed to be that he isn’t 100% with his mind” for Saints, with a crucial international qualifier coming up.
The Polish international is set to go away with his country and face a crunch World Cup qualifying playoff final versus Sweden or Czech Republic on Tuesday, March 29.
Bednarek was left out of the Saints squad that lost 4-1 to English champions Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final at St Mary’s.
Centre-backs Jack Stephens and Mohammed Salisu both struggled in an individual-error ridden match, with the winners heading to Wembley Stadium for the semi-final in just under a month.
Asked if Bednarek had picked up an injury, Hasenhuttl responded: “He is okay, he has a big game for Poland next week and it seemed to be that he isn’t 100% with his mind for us, I think.
“I didn’t want to take the risk that in some moments he didn’t want to take the last step to hurt himself in this game today.”
The 25-year-old defender has started each of the last seven for Saints in the Premier League, but has struggled and picked up bookings in both of the last two – losing three consecutively in the division.
Despite suggesting there was a potential international distraction for one of his defensive stalwarts, Hasenhuttl insists that the upcoming break has come at a good time.
“It’s always a good time,” Hasenhuttl joked. “Absolutely because it is an intense time between the last one we had in November and now.”
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