BRETT ORMEROD looks likely to miss Leeds' game against Reading tonight through injury - and he faces a race against time in order to help out injury-decimated Saints against Birmingham on Sunday.

The £1.75m striker will return from his month-long loan spell at Elland Road with a genuine chance of breaking straight back into the first team after the incredible run of injuries that have hit the club since he left - providing he is fit.

Due to Premier League rules he was not able to return before his month's loan period in The Championship was up - even with James Beattie, Peter Crouch, Kevin Phillips and Marian Pahars all out injured.

But just when it seemed Ormerod would get back into the Saints' starting line-up on his return, he hobbled off five minutes from the end of Leeds' win over Preston on Saturday after taking a kick to the calf while setting up their winner.

Now he faces a race to be fit for the visit of the Blues with all of Saints' previously injured strikers likely to still be missing.

Also major doubts for the game, which sees joint-bottom Saints face another side who have only won once in nine league games in 2004/05, are Neil McCann (hamstring) and Graeme Le Saux (knee).

The depth of Saints' squad is being stretched to the limit for the senior side so it is likely to be a very young reserve team that faces Arsenal reserves at St Mary's tonight.

Teenage strike pair Leon Best and Dexter Blackstock, who were both handed their first senior start at Everton last Saturday, will not be risked.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, reserve boss Stewart Henderson will start with 16-year-old David McGoldrick up front - as he did in last week's 2-1 reserve loss at Crystal Palace.

The versatile Eddie Anaclet, who has played at right back and left wing for Saints' youth teams under Henderson, partnered McGoldrick last week.

But Arron Davies is likely to feature tonight after missing the Palace defeat through Welsh Under-21 international commitments.

Frenchman Leandre Griffit, who made a great impression during rare first team appearances last season under Gordon Strachan and Paul Sturrock, scored for the reserves last week in his first game back from injury, but he is more likely to play in midfield than up front.

Fifteen-year-old winger Theo Walcott is also expected to be in the squad.

It is a top-of-the-table clash with Saints lying third in the Premiership reserve league south, while Arsenal are one place above them - and like their senior side are unbeaten this season five wins and a draw.

The Gunners are also unlikely to field any familiar faces as their first team have travelled to Greece to face Panithinaikos in the Champions League before the huge showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Henderson has a good record against Arsenal - last season his Saints Under-18s won 2-0 at Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup while the Under-19s defeated the north London giants in the semi-finals of the Academy League play-offs.