Southampton manager Russell Martin has challenged Adam Armstrong to earn a recall to his league lineup, after the striker was “annoyed” to not play in the Saints’ loss to Manchester United.
Armstrong, who scored 24 goals last season as the Saints secured their return to the top flight, was one of four men left out of Saturday’s starting line-up – Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Joe Aribo and the injured Will Smallbone were the others – as Martin looked to end the club’s search for a first point of the new campaign at the fourth attempt.
The 27-year-old could return to face Everton at Goodison Park on Tuesday night (19:45 BST) and Martin is expecting a response. He said: “Armo’s annoyed he’s not playing, and rightly so after everything he’s done for us. But as a manager, you have to make calls and it was the hardest bit of the week this week. I didn’t enjoy it.
“Taking four players out of the team that I love and that have been so good for us is the most difficult thing because genuinely I have a lot of love for them and respect and care for them and to take them out is not easy.
“Now they have to put themselves back in and Tuesday will give them a brilliant opportunity.”
In the circumstances, the third round tie might not be the greatest priority for either side involved but Martin does not see it that way. He said: “It’s the most important thing now. There will be changes, there’ll be players who need to stake a claim for their place in the team because we haven’t won, albeit there’s so many positives.
“Then there’ll be some players who need to build on Saturday and grow again and try to improve on their performance and learn again in our way of doing things.”
Ross Stewart, who returned on Saturday after the injury problems which sidelined him for much of last season, is unlikely to start but will be involved at some stage. But, defender Jack Stephens is unavailable following his red card on Saturday.