James Ward-Prowse won’t see his red card appeal overturned ahead of Southampton’s clash with Leeds United on 16 October, according to journalist Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Saints up next for Leeds
The Whites finally got their first Premier League victory of the season on Saturday, winning 1-0 at home to Watford.
The hope is that it sparks Leeds’ campaign into life and their next outing comes against the Saints at Elland Road after the international break.
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The Latest: Ward-Prowse to miss out
Someone who won’t be available for that game is Ward-Prowse, with the Southampton captain sent off in his team’s defeat at Chelsea on Saturday.
Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay discussed the midfielder’s suspension and believes that any potential appeal from the Saints would prove to be unsuccessful.
He said: “No, I don’t see them appealing that successfully either. Big loss for Southampton and a bonus for Leeds.”
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The Verdict: Big boost for Whites
Ward-Prowse is a hugely influential figure for Saints, achieving their highest average WhoScored rating in 2020/21, so his absence for the Leeds game has to be considered a big boost for Marcelo Bielsa.
The 26-year-old brings both tenacity and quality in the middle of the park – he is also famed for his set piece expertise – so the Whites’ midfielders can breathe a huge sigh of relief that he won’t be involved in two weeks’ time at Elland Road.
It gives Leeds an even bigger opportunity to pick up a second consecutive league win. If they can manage that, the table could start looking far more satisfying from a Whites perspective.
In other news, Leeds could attempt to sign one player in January. Find out who it is here.