Kamaldeen Sulemana’s red card is rescinded
Russell Martin’s men endured a torrid night on Friday, as they were hammered 4-1 by Leicester City at home, in what was another below-par performance from the Saints.
And, things got worse in stoppage time, when Sulemana was dismissed for a late tackle on James Justin.
However, replays showed that the contact between the players was minimal, and Sulemana hadn’t shown his studs or caught the full-back high.
Therefore, Southampton were always likely to appeal the decision, and confirmation arrived from the FA on social media on Monday that they had rescinded the red card.
The only positive about the bad decision was that it didn’t influence the game, as Saints were well beaten by that stage, but the right outcome has now been reached.
What does that mean for Kamaldeen Sulemana?
Firstly, the winger is now going to be available for the home game against Ipswich on Tuesday, so it’s good news for Martin going into what is a big game as they look to bounce back from consecutive heavy defeats.
As well as that, as Sulemana had been given a straight red for violent conduct, he was going to miss three games, so he is now available for selection for the fixtures against Middlesbrough and Leeds.
After a frustrating start to the season with injury and transfer speculation, Sulemana was only making his first appearance of the campaign against the Foxes, so it would have been a real blow for the player if he had to miss the three games.
How big a boost is this for Southampton?
As mentioned, it’s important to say that this was clearly the wrong decision on the night, so the FA have done the right thing in recognising their mistake.
Nevertheless, Southampton will be relieved, as they will have high hopes for Sulemana this season.
His direct style and ridiculous pace makes him such a threat for the team, and it will be down to Martin to find a place in the XI that allows the former Rennes man to flourish.
As well as that, they are ready to play three huge games, with the fixtures against Ipswich and Leeds looking especially important, so Sulemana will no doubt have a big role to play.
What next for Southampton?
As explained, the south coast outfit are set for some very tough games, starting with Ipswich’s visit, in what will be a big challenge for Martin’s men.
Even at this very early stage, it feels like the pressure is building on Southampton, as the fans are understandably unhappy with the manner of the last two defeats, with the performances having been unacceptable.
Of course, they’re still in a decent position overall, but there’s no denying that they need a result to ensure this doesn’t become a worrying trend.
So, it will be interesting to see what XI Martin picks, but you can be sure that he will be pleased that Sulemana is ready to play his part.