Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu is out for the season with injury, Ralph Hasenhuttl confirms

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Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu is expected to miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury which will need surgery, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has confirmed.

The Spaniard was forced off during the closing stages of the 3-0 Premier League defeat at Leeds on Tuesday night.

“Oriol Romeu’s season is over. Surgery on Monday means three months out,” said Hasenhuttl ahead of Monday night’s trip to Everton.

READ MORE: Premier League fixtures and table - all matches by date and kick-off time

“He has a fracture on his ankle and definitely this season is over for him. It will take a minimum of three months until he is back.”

Saints have several players unavailable, with on-loan Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino also now ruled out of Monday night’s fixture because of a hamstring problem.

Hasenhuttl was irked with his side’s performance against Leeds, with the defeat meaning they have taken just one point from a possible 24 recently.

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They remain 14th in the table, some eight points clear of the relegation zone, but are comfortably the most out-of-form team in the top flight and 18th-placed Fulham have taken eight points from their last four matches to close the gap between themselves and safety.

Romeu’s injury poses a problem in midfield for Saints, as Ibrahima Diallo is also injured. Alexandre Jankewitz may therefore return to the line-up, having been sent-off in the first minute of his debut - which was the 9-0 drubbing by Manchester United.

PA