Juric on team news, lack of transfer activity and Burnley

katie stafford - bbc sport journalist

Thu, 6 Feb 2025, 9:06 am·1-min read

Southampton boss Ivan Juric has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup game against Burnley (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

Taylor Harwood-Bellis has an ankle injury and is unavailable for the FA Cup game but fellow defender Nathan Wood is expected to return.
Midfielder Tyler Dibling is also available, with Juric insisting there was "no fear of losing him" in the transfer window because the club's determination to keep him never changed.
Captain Jack Stephens has also faced a setback and is "upset" about returning to the sidelines. Juric said "it is not really bad" but they will know more in the next few weeks.
On opponents Burnley, who are flying high in the Championship: "They have kept a lot of clean sheets and from watching them, they are a really good team."
He said he will field his best XI to face Burnley because "every game is a opportunity to improve and get better."
On whether he was 'disappointed' by Southampton's transfer window business: "A little. There are some positions where we are missing players and that could be an issue in the future. But I understand the situation and it is difficult when you are bottom of the table to convince players. The club tried to bring me what I want - but we didn't succeed."
He added: "It is not easy to change mentality, but they [the players] are really willing to get better and are working" to get as many points as possible between now and the end of the season.