Russell Martin has confirmed that Kyle Walker-Peters will all but certainly miss Southampton’s trip to Birmingham City on Saturday, in what is a significant blow for the automatic promotion chasers. Right-back Walker-Peters came on in the second half of the FA Cup defeat at Liverpool on Wednesday but he himself was forced off later in the half.
Walker-Peters, 26, is one of only 13 players in the Championship to have played every minute of the season up to now, and only one of five outfield players, and he has contributed a couple of goals under Martin, who only arrived at St Mary’s post-relegation at the beginning of the season. Walker-Peters, having remained after the drop, has been key in this Saints side which has hit the buffers lately after an extended unbeaten run.
He will now most likely miss the game at St Andrew’s on Saturday when the Saints visit Blues, who are seeking to respond to their 3-1 reverse at Southampton’s promotion rivals Ipswich Town last weekend. It’s an unforeseen boost, then, that the visitors will be without one of their most important players.
