RALPH Hasenhuttl has admitted Tino Livramento “could feel this was a more serious injury” after the youngster was stretchered off the pitch during the 2-2 draw at Brighton.

The 19-year-old defender was substituted for Romain Perraud after 37 minutes at Amex Stadium, following going down to ground with no contact but serious pain in his knee.

Livramento’s leg appeared to stick and drag on the surface and immediately players around him could see it was a moment of severe concern.

The former Chelsea starlet was given oxygen by medical staff and both Hasenhuttl and long-term friend Armando Broja came over to give their wishes as he was stretchered down the tunnel.

Speaking after the match, Hasenhuttl told the Daily Echo: “I cannot tell you what is the diagnosis but it looks very, very serious.

We do not know it yet, he is very down the guy but we all know he will come back even stronger.

“Absolutely, he was very frustrated and he could feel that this was a more serious injury so for next weekend he is out.”

Livramento had returned from a meniscus injury in his knee suffered at the end of 2021, earlier this year. He missed five Premier League matches before making a substitute return at Old Trafford in February.

Livramento had been managing the injury since, with Hasenhuttl admitting it is not best for his knee swelling to play too many matches in quick succession. The 19-year-old was making his first start since the 6-0 defeat to Chelsea.

He now looks set to miss a number of weeks, and with only four matches left of the campaign he could not make a return until next season.

Saints captain James Ward-Prowse insisted the youngster’s injury “spurred us on” to Sky Sports, after his brace rescued a point from behind for the travelling St Mary’s outfit.

Danny Welbeck opened the scoring inside 90 seconds at Amex Stadium, before Mohammed Salisu’s own goal had Saints two goals behind going into the break.

That was until Ward-Prowse, 27, struck a free-kick in added time to halve the deficit, completing a brace shortly after the break to level the scores.