Danny Ings undergoes scan which shows no serious damage; Striker forced off with five minutes to play after clutching his knee after landing awkwardly following a collision with Trezeguet; Ryan Bertrand (hamstring) and Jan Bednarek were also forced off with injuries
Monday 2 November 2020 09:29, UK
Southampton striker Danny Ings suffered no serious damage to his knee in the 4-3 win over Aston Villa, a scan has revealed.
The 28-year-old went down clutching his knee after landing awkwardly following a collision with Trezeguet and was forced off with five minutes to play.
He had a scan at the weekend amid fears he could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ings will be assessed by Southampton's medical team when he arrives at the training ground on Monday and early indications suggest he will back sooner than first thought.
Prior to sustaining the injury, Ings scored his fifth goal of the season to put Southampton 4-0 up at Villa Park as the Saints moved into the top four.
"Danny (Ings) hurt his knee but we hope it's not too bad, it didn't look good at the time," Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said after the game.
"He overstretched his knee and this is always dangerous and he was immediately shouting, 'my knee, my knee'."
Ryan Bertrand (hamstring) and Jan Bednarek were also forced off with injuries with Southampton set to face Newcastle on Friday, November 6 (8pm), live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Dean Smith's side may have started the day boasting the best defensive record in the top flight, having let in just five goals, but you would not have known it judging from their slipshod first-half display in the Midlands.
Villa had already been given a warning after just three minutes when after a left-wing corner that was flicked on at the near post, Konsa got into a muddle and headed past his own goalkeeper.
Luckily for the hosts, eagle-eyed VAR Chris Kavanagh noticed that Saints striker Adams had just strayed beyond the last man, only for the in-form visitors to then make the breakthrough when Vestergaard lost John McGinn in the box to power home Ward-Prowse's inviting free-kick from near the right corner flag.
The Saints skipper soon took control of the contest himself by twice finding the back of the net with sumptuous free-kicks from the edge of the box that left Emiliano Martinez helpless in the Villa goal.
When Ings - who later went off with another worrying knee injury - capped off a fine passing move involving Kyle Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse again and Stuart Armstrong with a stunning 25-yard curler into the top right-hand corner of the net, the match seemed over as a contest.
Credit the hosts, however, who showed great spirit and character to make a game of it in the final quarter as first Mings headed in Grealish's cross, before stoppage-time strikes from Watkins - via the penalty spot - and the Villa captain himself added a late gloss to the scoreline.
