Southampton striker Danny Ings forced off injured in the first half of their clash with Manchester City to leave Saints sweating on the fitness of their star man for the festive schedule
- Danny Ings was forced off just before half-time having gone down off the ball
- The Southampton striker had earlier seen appeals for a penalty waved away
- Ralph Hasenhuttl will be hoping to have his talisman back for the festive period
Southampton have been dealt an injury blow after Danny Ings was forced off through injury in the first half of their clash with Manchester City.
The visitors went in front after 16 minutes when Raheem Sterling finished after Kevin De Bruyne‘s measured ball across as Pep Guardiola‘s charges held out for a 1-0 win.
Ings had a shout for a penalty on 27 minutes when he headed wide before Ruben Dias made contact with the England striker. However, Mike Dean was not interested and VAR did not intervene.
Danny Ings appeals for a penalty after Ruben Dias collided with the striker after 27 minutes
Southampton’s talisman was forced off late in the first half and was replaced by Nathan Tella
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl had grown frustrated during the game after feeling that several challenges on his men went unpunished and he became more exasperated when his talisman went down off the ball five minutes before the break. Ings was tended to on the pitch, but it was decided he had to come off. Nathan Tella came on in Ings’ place.
Ings was out of the side for five weeks after a stunning strike to put Hasenhuttl’s high-flyers 4-0 up against Aston Villa on November 1 and made his return against Brighton earlier this month, dispatching an 81st-minute penalty to secure a 2-1 win against the Seagulls.
Ings has had rotten luck with injuries during his career, suffering a cruciate ligament rupture at Liverpool back in October 2015 during Jurgen Klopp’s first training session at the club. The injury kept him out for the rest of that season.
Ings sustained two serious knee injuries at Liverpool during a difficult time on Merseyside
He then came back into the fold but sustained another knee injury in October 2016 which required surgery and sidelined him for more than nine months.
Hasenhuttl will hope the injury is not serious as his side head into the Christmas period among the chasing pack.
Their next assignment is against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day before successive home games against West Ham and leaders Liverpool.