Southampton: £60k-a-week star now 'big part of the problem' at St Mary's | OneFootball

Southampton winger Mohamed Elyounoussi should not still be a regular starter at St. Mary’s, journalist Dean Jones has suggested to GiveMeSport.

The 28-year-old has been a frequent presence in the Saints lineup throughout the current campaign.

Southampton interim head coach Ruben Selles’ tenure has got off to a mixed start on the south coast, with the Spaniard having masterminded a stunning 1-0 victory at Chelsea two weeks ago, before last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Leeds United by the same scoreline.

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The Saints’ latest defeat means that the side are still bottom of the table and now sit four points from safety, with the club’s chances of survival seeming to get slimmer by the week.

Speaking after the game at Elland Road, Elyounoussi expressed his confidence that Southampton will eventually get themselves out of trouble (via HampshireLive): “I think you need to play the game rather than the occasion. I think we need to handle it a little bit better. But we have 14 more chances to do that. I absolutely believe that we will make it."

However, Jones believes that Elyounoussi’s presence on the pitch is “part of the problem” at St. Mary’s and that the club would have had no hesitation in dropping the player from the side, in the past.

What has Jones said about Southampton and Elyounoussi?

When speaking about Elyounoussi's performances, Jones told GiveMeSport: “I'm not sure how he is still starting. He seems to be a big part of the problem and he's probably needed upgrading for a while now.

“The fact that he is still in there probably shows how stuck Southampton have become because, in years gone by, they would not be still reverting to players like this, they would have moved on from the situation.”

How has Elyounoussi performed this season?

Elyounoussi’s performances have been just a small part of a wider issue within the Southampton squad, but there is no doubt that the wide man could have contributed more to the Saints’ survival bid.

The £60,000 per-week earner has made 22 Premier League appearances for the south coast outfit this season, producing one solitary assist without hitting the back of the net, suggesting that his lack of goal output has been a major contribution in the side’s failings.

The 49-cap Norway international’s displays in the top flight this campaign have earned him an underwhelming average WhoScored rating of 6.44, ranking the wide man as the squad’s 16th-best-performer, indicating that a parting of the ways may need to be considered come the summer transfer window.

Therefore, it’s difficult to argue with Jones regarding Elyounoussi’s selection side and Saints fans may hope to see the winger replaced by a talent such as Samuel Edozie for Saturday’s visit of Leicester City.