Adkins reveals Ramirez hospitalised

Nigel Adkins said Gaston Ramirez was left out of his Southampton squad to face Fulham due to a dead leg suffered in training on Thursday.

The Uruguyuan was absent as Saints drew 2-2 at home to the Cottagers, with Jose Fonte heading home late on to secure his second goal of the day as well as a vital point for his side.

“Gaston picked up a dead leg in training on Thursday,” Adkins told Sky Sports.

“It is a bad one too, his thigh muscle has swollen up and he was actually in hospital for a couple of days. It was a nasty injury he got and he won’t go on international duty.”

Adkins was happy with his side’s performance in the first half but suggested they did not maintain the intensity into the second period.

The point takes them out of the bottom three but the Saints still only have the one win to their name.

He added: “From 1-0 up, it’s two points dropped.

“We did well first half. We pressed the ball well, got on the front foot, played a good high line and we scored a good goal from a set play and forged some good opportunities. Second-half we didn’t maintain that high line of pressing.

“Fulham are a good side, it isn’t a case of willingly beating Fulham. But we need to be picking up maximum points at home.”

Fulham manager Martin Jol bemoaned his side’s first-half performance as they gave up a late lead to earn a point at St Mary’s.

The Dutch coach was happy with his side’s application in the second period but was still frustrated with the first-half showing that left them trailing 1-0 after Fonte scored his first goal in the early stages.

“I wasn’t pleased with the first or second goal but I was very pleased with the resilience and the character and the mental strength,” Jol told Sky Sports.

“Although we were a bit worried in midfield to play, we didn’t play, we did better in the second half.

“We stood up and played like we always did before. We put them under pressure and my best players in the second half had the ball – Bryan Ruiz, Giorgos Karagounis, and we played football.”

The Fulham chief was also left frustrated by a number of decisions made by referee Mark Clattenburg, with Southampton’s equaliser coming after what Jol felt was a questionable free-kick that was awarded to the hosts.

“The ref acted as if he did not see it,” Jol said.

“And then two seconds later it was a free-kick to them. But OK, that happens and of course, if it doesn’t they wouldn’t have scored.”

Striker Dimitar Berbatov was left out of Fulham’s squad after struggling with a hip injury but Jol confirmed the Bulgarian was close to returning to the team.

“He was very close (to playing against Southampton),” he revealed.

“He told me on Monday he would probably play and then on Friday he said he didn’t want to take a risk.

“He came to me yesterday and he was doing a test today in London and if they (he and Mladen Petric) would have been fit, they would have traveled to Southampton maybe to be on the bench or maybe in Berbatov’s case to start. But he is on the fringe of being fit.”