Saints’ goalscoring crisis has deepened with fears Charlie Austin could be sidelined for a sustained period of time after suffering a horrible shoulder injury against Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

The club’s top scorer, who has been the only player able to find the net on a regular basis this season, landed awkwardly on his right shoulder in the first half at St Mary’s and was in agony before he left the field.

The shoulder is same one Austin dislocated three times in 14 months while at Burnley and has twice had surgery on.

Claude Puel said he didn’t know the extent of the problem, but backed his other forwards to step up and deliver goals.

“Charlie has a shoulder injury and we will see this,” said the Saints boss.

“I don’t know how many times he stay out but it’s important for us.

“I don’t know but he cannot play for the next game of course.

“He was in the dressing room. Like all the players who are injured, we will see this tomorrow.

“I don’t know how many times he stay out, we will see this, but it’s important now to work with all the players, with Shane (Long), (Jay) Rodriguez, Dusan (Tadic), (Sofiane) Boufal, all the players.

“It’s an injury tonight but I think we need a solution and we will see for the next game.”

Elimination from the Europa League at the group stages is without question a significant blow, not only for Puel and his players but the club as a whole.

European football was a major selling point for recruiting players, as well as keeping hold of them, but that will no longer be on the table come the January window.

Puel, however, was refusing to discuss the implications in the immediate aftermath of Saints’ final day disappointment.

“It’s not the moment, it’s not the time to speak about the window in January,” he insisted.

“All concentration on this competition and to try to come back in the first part. It is very important.

“I think we lost many points with a good thing with the players, playing a good game, and now it’s important to keep concentration and to be clinical to win our games.

“It’s important for this competition and now we want to come back in this competition, which is to come back in the Premier League for the end of the season.

“This is the most important and it is a good challenge and to see a good reaction.

“It is a strong challenge because this is a disappointment.

“It’s a good challenge to see my players’ reaction for the next games.”