Saints keeper Antti Niemi is facing another match on the sidelines having failed to recover from the knee injury he sustained in the 1-0 win at West Ham almost two weeks ago.

The Finnish international jarred his knee in the final minutes at Upton Park and was forced to watch from the stands as Paul Jones took over between the post for the Birmingham game last Saturday.

Jones had little to do in that match but kept a clean sheet as Saints won 2-0 and looks set to get another chance to steak his claim for a prolonged run in the side with Niemi still struggling.

Chris Marsden is ready to return to the Saints fold after sitting out last week's game through suspension.

The tough tackling midfielder severed his one match ban after picking up five bookings and is challenging Anders Svensson for a left midfield spot.

Meanwhile, Garry Monk was still in Southampton yesterday receiving treatment on a minor back injury he picked up during Tuesday's reserve match with Chelsea.

The 23-year-old defender has just signed a contract extension which ties him to the club until the summer of 2004 but is ready to move to Sheffield Wednesday on a month's loan.

Monk, who joined Saints from Torquay in May 1997 and has had loan spells at Torquay, Stockport and Oxford, will join the Owls' first division relegation battle if he is fit.

The centre-half has said in the last few months that he would welcome a loan move to get him some vital match practice.

It is thought that Wednesday also wanted to take Kevin Davies on loan but that move seems unlikely to go through.