Southampton are sweating on the fitness of captain and star defender Virgil van Djik for the EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Liverpool.
Sportsmail understands that Van Dijk is losing his race to be fit for the tie, which Southampton lead 1-0, after he limped out of their win against Leicester City with an ankle injury on Sunday. The player had a scan on Monday.
Southampton let want-away Jose Fonte leave for West Ham for £8million last week leaving them with Maya Yoshida and the inexperienced 22-year-old Jack Stephens their only pair of fit centre-backs available to face the might of Jurgen Klopp’ s attack at Anfield on Wednesday.