Saints face a selection dilemma for the trip to Tottenham on Saturday with Danny Fox and Gaston Ramirez suspended for the remainder of the season.

Both men were shown red cards during the 3-0 home defeat to West Brom and their subsequent three-game bans mean that their campaigns are over.

The ban for Fox is the biggest worry for Saints with Luke Shaw injured.

The youngster hurt his ankle in training on Friday and, though Saints have refused to reveal the seriousness of the injury, it is understood he is unlikely to be fit to face Tottenham on Saturday.

With Fox suspended it leaves Saints going into the game at White Hart Lane, where they will face wingers such as Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, without a recognised left back.

Jos Hooiveld finished the match against West Brom in the left back slot, and Maya Yoshida also briefly figured there earlier this season.

However, Mauricio Pochettino’s more likely selection will be to move Nathaniel Clyne over to left back as he has proven he can perform in that role.

That will then leave a hole at right back which could either be filled by one of the four front line centre halves at the club, Jack Cork with Steven Davis then in the holding midfield role, or Frazer Richardson who last started a game in October.

“It’s always a problem when you have one player injured and another banned in the same position,” reflected Pochettino.

“Clyne has played in that position before so perhaps we will stick him over there.”

Following the West Brom loss Saints now face back-to-back away games at Tottenham and Sunderland before wrapping up their season back on home soil against Stoke on the final day of the campaign.

Though Pochettino would doubtless like to have Ramirez available, and will be frustrated that the record signing managed less than 25 minutes on the pitch after his half-time substitution before being sent off, he at least has cover.

Ramirez didn’t even start the game against the Baggies while Jason Puncheon has been warming the bench of late and itching for a chance, as is Emmanuel Mayuka who has barely had a sniff in his first season with the club.