Aston Villa could be forced to play a 22-year-old who has not started a Premier League match for more than a year as a central defensive injury crisis mounts ahead of their clash with Saints.

Jores Okore, Villa’s fifth choice centre half, could be in line to start against Saints as a raft of problems face Paul Lambert.

Nathan Baker is almost certain to miss the Saints game with a knee injury while Villa are sweating on the fitness of Ron Vlaar and Philippe Senderos.

The experienced pair have both been injured on international duty.

Vlaar and Senderos have returned home to be assessed and receive treatment.

If that trio all fail to recover it leaves Lambert faced with selecting Okore, probably alongside Ciaran Clark, as his side desperately attempt to derail the Saints bandwagon and in the process end their seven match winless run.

Okore was a £4m signing from Nordsjaelland in July 2013, but with just four appearances under his belt for his new club ruptured his ACL, an injury which ended his season. After so long on the sidelines he has yet to be used at all by Villa during the current campaign.

Okore has played only one senior game this season – that was an international match for Denmark against Armenia in September. His last game came in the latest international break when he was playing for his country’s under-21 side.

Both Lambert and his Saints counterpart Ronald Koeman are likely to be glad of an extra couple of days to prepare their sides.

With the match between Villa and Saints having been bumped until the Monday for live screening on Sky, it gives both bosses time to work with their squads before the game.

Previously Saints have been forced to go into the match following an international break with some players having not even trained after returning from various parts of the globe, however that will not be the case on this occasion.

It will also allow time for minor injuries to heal, with Saints hoping Morgan Schneiderlin, Dusan Tadic and Steven Davis will all benefit from the extra couple of days and be fit for the clash at Villa Park.

Saints have had 15 players away on international duty while Villa have had 11 senior stars making trips for their countries.