World Cup break gives Southampton slight help in Livramento hopes

Firmly lodged in the relegation zone, it has not been a happy first third of the campaign thus far but changes have been made. Ralph Hasenhuttl was given his marching orders less than a week before the Premier League pressed pause and with Nathan Jones quickly recruited as the Austrian's replacement.

Fortunately, the former Luton boss now has nearly two months to get to know his squad and prepare for the crucial final five months of the season.

With only Mohammed Salisu and Armel Bella-Kotchap in Qatar, Jones has the vast majority of his team at his disposal over the coming weeks and that can only bode well for Saints’ return to action.

Momentum has been going against Saints for a while with just one win in their last ten while they failed to score more than one goal in any of those games. This team needed a break and thankfully, they’ve got it.

But if Saints needed any more reasons to be thankful for the interruption, here’s another big one: the return of the Premier League could also signal the impending return of a crucial missing piece of the puzzle: Tino Livramento.

Out of action since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in last April’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, Livramento has been making progress in his recovery with an eye on getting back on the pitch in the early days of 2023.

January is still 31 days away but Saints face just two league fixtures before the new year. That's not to say Livramento will be back as soon as 2023 rolls around, this is a serious injury and both the player and Saints need to be cautious. But still, the comeback should be well on its way.

After arriving from Chelsea for a minimal fee of around £5m last summer, Livramento immediately forced his way into Hasenhuttl’s first-choice XI, surprising many at his initial displacement of Kyle Walker-Peters.

Walker-Peters eventually earned his way back into the side but his re-emergence came at left back thanks to the stranglehold Livramento had on the right side of defence.

The 20-year-old started the first 19 Premier League games of the season, only being withdrawn on one of those occasions, in the 86th minute at Manchester City.

Virtually overnight, Livramento had become an essential piece of Hasenhuttl’s team and even after suffering knee problems over the new year, he was back to his regular role as soon as fitness allowed.

Then it all came crashing down at the Amex Stadium when the youngster’s studs seemed to get caught in the pitch, twisting uncomfortably before he was stretchered off and wheelchaired out of the ground. The verdict was what everyone feared: the dreaded ACL tear.

Expectations simply have to be tempered coming off of such a significant injury. Closer to the start of his career than middle or end, Livramento has the time to return to the form and trajectory that saw him become one of the more promising young defenders in the world. But he also requires time and patience, it likely won’t all come back the first time he steps on the pitch.

For what it's worth, the player himself seems to be relishing the challenge.

"The biggest thing to happen to me was my injury," he explained in a feature with club media.

"It was a real eye-opener for me to see how my body would react. It's just a massive test mentally.

"In a weird way I have enjoyed it but at the same time I've been itching to get back so I can't wait."

Livramento added: "The biggest thing in my life right now is coming back from the injury which I had about five or six months ago. I am just taking it step by step."

Regardless of any warnings or caution, the possible return of Livramento is exciting because the London native is electric. It only takes a few seconds to realise just how good Livarmento is and without him, Saints have lost a bit of magic.

So what have they been missing?

Firstly, while some full-backs can remain on the periphery, Livramento was critical to pretty much everything Saints did, both on and off the ball.

Ranking sixth amongst his Saints teammates in terms of minutes, despite missing a total of nine games through injury, Livramento also ranked third in total crosses, joint-third in successful dribbles, fifth in touches per game in the final third, and fourth in tackles.

It’s no surprise to see Livramento excel in statistical categories from both ends of the pitch; his relentless energy and drive to affect the game sees him pop up just about everywhere on the pitch.

Below is Livramento's heat map from the Premier League last season, displaying his all-action nature.

When we zoom in on one particular performance - in this case the 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road in March - it's hard not to be impressed by just how much Livramento does in each game.

Now compare Livramento’s touch map to Waker-Peters’ from the same game.

The two full-backs' touched the ball 65 and 68 times respectively and while more of Walker-Peters’ 68 touches came in Saints’ attacking half (46 vs 35), the left-back’s contributions are much more isolated to the wing whereas Livramento extends across the pitch.

Crucial in the way Saints build up play and attack, Livramento’s greatest strengths are tough to quantify. It’s the urgency and energy he provides his team.

When Livramento is in the area, the crowd starts to shuffle expectantly and excitement naturally builds. He’s someone who can change a game in a moment and that’s largely because he’s almost always trying to do just that: make positive decisions to urgently alter the course of each game he’s involved in.

Here's one example of that urgency and positive approach in action during the previously mentioned 1-1 draw with Leeds.

As Leeds attempt to play the ball forward, Livramento isn't even in the picture.

But before the ball can reach its intended target, he jumps in front to win it...

He gets slightly lucky as his first touch goes right to Moi Elyounoussi, but Livramento's positive and aggressive play creates that luck. Ward-Prowse stays in to offer himself as an option while Livramento continues his run beyond the Saints midfield...

...where he receives the ball.

The second of his two assists last season - against Everton in February - was a direct byproduct of the front-foot approach to everything he does on the pitch.

As Stuart Armstrong receives the ball, Livramento starts to make his move into all the green grass ahead of him.

He gets it from Armstrong before lifting his head up to spot Shane Long's run at the back post - the striker nodding in his only league goal of the season.

Livramento's impressive play with the ball is at least in part down to his speed and quick burst. Those are the qualities that he must get back near 100%, something that naturally takes time after such an injury.

Romain Perraud is an extremely good option in his own right but with all of Saints' full-backs struggling from various injuries at various points, both he and Livramento will play plenty when fit.

The reintroduction will (and should) be done carefully, but Saints' season could really use a boost. Livramento's return would certainly provide some of that.

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