Martin promises changes for Everton tie
Russell Martin has promised changes to his side for Southampton’s trip to Everton in the Carabao Cup third round, but says the tie comes too soon to hand Ross Stewart his first start for the club.
Speaking after Saturday’s Premier League defeat to Manchester United, the manager was quick to look ahead to the Goodison Park clash, saying it’s an opportunity for players to force their way into his thinking for the home meeting with Ipswich this weekend.
Stewart will be involved against Everton, Martin confirmed, but not as a starter.
“I think he’ll come off the bench again, I don’t think he’ll start,” he said. “I think we need to get him ready to start. I could get a bit giddy with it and really want to push him on, but I think we just need to be patient, so he’ll come off the bench.
“It’s the most important thing now, the Everton game. There will be changes, there will be players who need to stake a claim for their place in the team because we haven’t won, albeit there are so many positives, and there will be some players who need to build on today, grow again and try to improve on their performance and learn again in our way of doing things.
“I’m quite excited about it, actually. It’s a tough fixture for a cup game, going away, but I think it’ll be a really good one.”
Martin made his first outfield league changes of the season against United, as Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Will Smallbone, Joe Aribo and Adam Armstrong dropped out of the XI.
“Arma was annoyed he’s not playing and rightly so after everything he’s done for us, but as a manager you have to make calls,” he said of Armstrong.
“It was the hardest bit of the week and I didn’t enjoy it – taking four players out of the team that I love and have been so good for us is the most difficult thing.
“Generally I have a lot of love for them, and respect and care for them, so to take them out is not easy. They’ll have to put themselves back in, and Tuesday will give them a brilliant opportunity.”
There are also plenty of experienced players yet to feature in a Premier League matchday squad this season, including Paul Onuachu and Kamaldeen Sulemana, who Martin was asked about in his pre-match press conference.
“It depends on the way they train, it depends on where they’re at after the transfer window has shut pretty much everywhere now,” he added.
“They’re training really, really well, so you’ll see on Tuesday. I am open to things changing and I am open to being surprised as well, so we’ll have to wait and see. It’ll be a strong team, a really strong team.”
Saints will definitely be without captain Jack Stephens, who will serve the first of his three-match ban following his straight red card against United at St Mary's.
