SAINTS are sweating on the fitness of full backs Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand ahead of their crunch game against Huddersfield Town on Saturday at St Mary’s in the Premier League.

Bertrand limped out late on in the 1-0 defeat at his former club Chelsea, having, unlike many of his team-mates, played all three games last week.

Cedric had been suffering with a hamstring problem which forced him out of the 1-1 draws at Bournemouth at home to Arsenal at the beginning of December.

He came back but looked off pace in the 4-1 Leicester defeat a week ago, before being injured at Stamford Bridge after crashing into an advertising hoarding.

After the Chelsea match, the Portugal international wrote on Instagram: “Unfortunately, in the game against Chelsea, I suffered an injury that will keep me away from the next few games. Thank you all for the messages and support.”

It will mean Mauricio Pellegrino will have to look at alternative options at right-back and possibly left-back, if Bertrand is not ready to return either.

Jeremy Pied was deployed on the right side at Bournemouth but was dropped against Arsenal for Jack Stephens, who performed well as a defensive-minded full-back.

Pied offers more of an attacking outlook in this position and, considering Saints badly need victory against the Terriers on Saturday, it seems logical to favour the Frenchman, who was signed by Claude Puel on a free from Nice last summer.

Stephens’ solidity on the right was a good asset against the Gunners, but Saints will need a player more suited to attacking the flanks.

At left-back, meanwhile, Saints have Matt Targett and Sam McQueen to choose from as alternatives to Bertrand.

The England international has been ever-present at left-back this term, playing all of Saints’ Premier League matches.

Pellegrino has rotated his team during this recent busy period but has kept the 28-year-old in the team throughout – he is the only outfield player to play in every Premier League match, with goalkeeper Fraser Forster the only other Saints man to be ever-present.

Former England Under-21 international Targett has not played a minute of top-flight football this term, having had a spell on the sidelines following an injury playing for the under-23s.

The 22-year-old spent seven months on the sidelines last season with a hamstring problem, which, after injuring himself in October 2016, he had an operation on in December.

It meant he played just eight games in 2016/17, with fellow academy graduate McQueen, who made his full debut at Inter Milan in October 2016, rising to the occasion in his stead.

The former Southend United loanee played 20 games in all competitions last season, having been converted to a left-back by Claude Puel.

The versatile McQueen has played 23 minutes of Premier League football this term, having being used as a late substitute to slot in various positions, including in attacking areas.

Targett was a hot prospect until his injuries and Pellegrino will have to pick carefully between those two if Bertrand is unable to play.