Alisson Becker is ruled out of the trip to the south coast, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota are still working through their recovery programmes.
“[Alisson] is back in training with the goalkeeper coach. He is not training with the team yet, but that is expected to be done soon, and then let’s wait and see where he is in terms of match fitness,” said Slot during his pre-match press conference.
“But he is getting better and better, but not ready to play [on] Sunday.
“Trent isn’t training with us yet, but he is getting there so we expect him to be back with us soon. Jota is still apart from the group, same as Federico, who is coming back into the session maybe in one exercise today.
“They are all expected to be back within now and a few weeks, but the last part of the recovery is always the most difficult one. So, let’s wait and see.”
The hosts will be without centre-back Jan Bednarek and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdalethe former having sustained a knee injury on international duty and the latter undergone a finger operation.
“They will both be out for this weekend,” Southampton manager Russell Martin told the media on Thursday.
“It’s [a] huge [blow]they have been two of our best players all season. In the last couple of weeks, Jan and Aaron there is a big onus on them to start the way we play in the build-up and stuff, so of course it is going to affect the team and how it looks.
“But other people have to step in and take their place and take an opportunity now. I’ve been really happy with those guys, and now they are going to be out of the team for a little while it’s up to people to stake their claim.”
On other updates regarding his squad’s fitness, Martin added: “I think Ryan Fraser is back now, Kamaldeen [Sulemana] is back properly now. I think everything else is pretty much the same.”
Ross Stewart and Will Smallbone were sidelined with injury before the international break, while Gavin Bazunu is a long-term absentee.
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