Hasenhuttl: 'We are more than only Danny Ings'

Star striker Ings is this morning set to undergo surgery to repair damage to the meniscus in his left knee, suffered during Sunday's 4-3 win at Aston Villa.

Ings, 28, has been in scintillating form for Saints over the past 12 months, finishing second only to Jamie Vardy in last season's Premier League golden boot race, netting 22 goals.

He has carried that into the current campaign, scoring six times in 10 games for club and country, including what turned out to be the winner against Villa.

However, he is now set to miss the next four to six weeks of action, leaving a gaping hole in the Saints attack.

Che Adams is set to continue to lead the line, but who he is partnered by is less clear. Shane Long, Michael Obafemi and Dan N'Lundulu have all featured in the Premier League this term, while Theo Walcott could also provide an option should Hasenhuttl want to switch him away from his position on the left.

"I think in the offensive positions we have a lot of alternatives," said Hasenhuttl.

"There are some young lads, others showing up, we have a few guys waiting and ready to come back into the team like Longy. There are opportunities there for me, definitely.

"We lose a player that scored 25 or 26 goals in the last 12 months or whatever. It’s never nice to lose a player like this but I think we can definitely say that we are more than only Danny Ings.

"In the last game we scored three other goals so it’s a big loss for us that we don’t have him, but I think it’s important now for the other players to give us alternatives.

"Nobody has to play like Danny Ings at the moment, it’s not possible but also not necessary. Every player who comes on the pitch should play his best possible game and then we bring him in the position where he gets his strength on the pitch. This maybe looks a little bit different then but this is not the issue. The issue is when you don’t perform how you can.

"That’s the reason for us to look for what player in the moment gives us the best form - not the best talent. We have a lot of talented players but who is in the best form at the moment, freshest and then we will adapt the game that he can bring his strengths on the pitch and this is the challenge for us, for the staff and in the end for the team to show that even if we have two or three changes in the team we can still be competitive and this is what we want to do."

After failing to net until his 30th game for Saints, Adams's recent form will provide some comfort in the absence of Ings.

Stretching back to last season, the 24-year-old has netted six goals in his past 13 Premier League outings, including strikes against Chelsea and Everton during Saints' current five-game unbeaten run.

Asked if the focus will now switch more towards Adams in Ings's absence, Hasenhuttl said: "He was also the focus of the last games. I think he did a fantastic job, especially in the last game, he worked so hard for the team and got a few assists. They were important for the game.

"We know about his first year here and it was not so easy for him. It took a little bit longer to bring him to this level where he is now.

"He is fantastic for the guys around him and he is working hard and now he is also scoring.

"Sure, Ingsy is not there and there will be a different couple in front and then we must still bring him into the perfect situation where he can also score because he has shown that he can score.

"It was never important for me who scores. We have Danny Ings, an outstanding striker who scores massive goals but, for me, it was more important that we have more players coming in front of the goal and are dangerous.

"I think in the last game we showed that we have centre backs who can also score. This is a good sign I think. It makes us more flexible and more dangerous."