Koeman not panicking despite Southampton injuries

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman insists he is not panicking due to the ongoing absences of Graziano Pelle and Jay Rodriguez, but may look to sign a striker in January.

Pelle has missed Southampton's last two games with a knee injury, while Rodriguez is unlikely to be available until late January at the earliest after undergoing foot surgery in November.

The latter missed the entirety of last season due to a serious knee problem, while both forwards will definitely miss Saturday's trip to Norwich City.

And with the Saints struggling to reproduce their heights of last season, Koeman is expecting to seek attacking reinforcement in January.

"For the weekend, Cedric and Graziano will still be out," the Dutchman told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.

"And we don't have any other players back from injuries, it will be the same as we had in our last game against West Ham.

"[Rodriguez] will come back but maybe it takes two weeks more. I think it will be late January or the beginning of February when he is available to play.

"He will train earlier but he is still out of the team training sessions.

"I'm not a manager in panic because we are 12th in the table, I don't do business like this because we know our players and qualities.

"If there is something to do, it's about how recovered Pelle and Rodriguez are. These are two strikers, good players, and if we don't have them back maybe that's a question to sign a new striker.

"But not other positions in the team. We have good competition and I am pleased with the rest of the squad."