Alex McCarthy given Southampton golden ticket amid contract issue: View | OneFootball

Southampton have given themselves a chance of securing automatic promotion after a 3-0 win over Preston North End on Tuesday night.

They remain in fourth but are now only four points off of Leicester City in second place with a game in hand over Ipswich Town and Leeds United.

Crucially, the game in hand they have is against the Foxes, whilst they also play another promotion contender in Leeds on the final day.

This puts Russell Martin’s side in a very intriguing position, and after previously looking out of it due to their poor form, they are now back in it.

Ipswich, Leicester and Leeds have all dropped points in recent games whilst Southampton have won their last three, which has given fresh hope that Premier League football may return to St Mary’s at the first time of asking.

With the promotion race reaching its conclusion, an injury to a key player was the last thing that the Saints and Martin needed.

Gavin Bazunu suffers a serious Achilles injury

Martin was given some bad news just before kick-off at St Mary’s on Tuesday as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu injured his Achilles in the warm-up. Bazunu emerged from the dugout midway through the game on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

Speaking after the win over Preston, Martin predicted that Bazunu’s season is over.

Martin said: "He’s felt something in his Achilles and he'll get a scan tomorrow. I'm sure by the time I speak to you on Friday, we'll know the extent of it.

"But I don't expect to see Gavin any time soon at all. I am devastated for him, but we'll support him in the best possible way because it's the way this club is.

"We have brilliant people here. He'll get all the support he needs and we really hope for good news, but probably fearing and expecting bad news."

Bazunu has been a key part of the way Southampton play, being comfortable at the ball with his feet and playing out the back.

With Bazunu seemingly out for the rest of the campaign, it has given a massive opportunity to Alex McCarthy.

The veteran keeper had appeared to be frozen out after relegation last season, with rumours of him potentially heading back to the Premier League in the summer and links in January. However, he ended up staying put.

Joe Lumley has been the preferred backup all season, but McCarthy was given his first start for the club in a year.

Although he did not have much to do, he still put in a solid performance, keeping a clean sheet, and Martin had plenty of praise for him.

"I thought Al was brilliant. He's trained so well,” Martin said. “It could have been so easy for him to be deemed as third choice because he's not on the bench.

"He's travelled everywhere, trains like a beast, supports the other goalies, the experience he has. He's played for England and he's a really good goalkeeper.

“He did well with everything he needed to do so now we have another selection problem ahead of Saturday."

With McCarthy now set to finish the season between the sticks, he has a real opportunity to impress in a pivotal month or so for the Saints.

They're pushing for automatic promotion and beyond that potentially to go up via the play-offs, and his performances are likely to be vital to their hopes off returning to the Premier League.

But the Saints' newest key player will have extra motivation in that his contract at St Mary's is up at the end of the season.

The final weeks of the 2023/24 campaign will given the 33-year-old a chance to prove that he deserves a new deal on the South Coast but also to put himself in the shop window for potential suitors.