Charlie Austin scored a hat-trick as Southampton beat Fulham in a training ground friendly.
Charlie Austin
Southampton fans have been reacting on Twitter after Charlie Austin staked his claim for more chances by scoring a hat-trick in a training ground friendly with Fulham on Thursday.
It has been another frustrating season for Saints fans, with Mauricio Pellegrino’s appointment seemingly doing little to change the side’s fortunes in front of goal.
Pellegrino has already come in for the criticism that Claude Puel faced regularly last season, with just nine goals being scored in their opening 11 league games and the Saints boss often replacing one striker with another when making substitutions rather than changing to a more attacking system.
Austin has had a frustrating time, with all eight of his top flight appearances this term coming from the substitute bench. And despite making eight appearances, he has been on the pitch for just over 100 minutes in total all campaign.
And while it was a friendly against a Championship side, Austin took full advantage of a run-out during the international break, scoring three in the 5-1 win, including a cute finish for the first goal, a penalty and a header to complete the treble.
And unsurprisingly, the Southampton fans who have taken to social media have urged Pellegrino to use Austin more often as, while they are not getting carried away that he will change the side’s fortunes completely, they clearly feel that his lethal touch in front of goal would make him an asset for the time-being.
Here is the best of the reaction…
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