Mohammed Salisu set to return for Southampton against Newcastle

Southampton hope to welcome back Mohammed Salisu against Newcastle on Thursday.

The Ghanaian centre-back missed Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa with a hamstring injury.

The Saints have no new injury concerns, but Lyanco and Alex McCarthy remain sidelined, while the game has come too soon for Nathan Tella as the winger builds up fitness following two months out with groin trouble.

Newcastle striker Allan Saint-Maximin is being eased back to full fitness after recovering from a calf injury.

The Frenchman was used as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton after just one day’s training and will hope to be involved further at St Mary’s.

Midfielder Matt Ritchie is closing in on a return from a knee problem and central defender Federico Fernandez is working his way back from a side strain, but full-backs Kieran Tripper (fractured metatarsal) and Jamal Lewis (groin), midfielder Isaac Hayden (knee) and striker Callum Wilson (calf) are still out.

Southampton provisional squad: Forster, Walker-Peters, Livramento, Salisu, Bednarek, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, S Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Adams, Broja, Redmond, Caballero, Stephens, Perraud, Valery, Djenepo, Diallo, Long, Smallbone, A Armstrong, Walcott.

Newcastle provisional squad: Dubravka, Darlow, Manquillo, Murphy, Targett, Krafth, Burn, Schar, Dummett, Lascelles, Shelvey, Guimaraes, Longstaff, Willock, Fraser, Ritchie, Almiron, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin, Wood, Gayle.