Charlie Austin injury 'not as bad as first feared'

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed that the hamstring injury suffered by striker Charlie Austin is not as bad as first feared.

The Saints initially worried that January signing Austin would be out for up to two months after coming off injured in Tuesday night's south coast derby defeat at Bournemouth.

However, Austin could be back later this month if he is only kept out for three to four weeks.

"We did a scan yesterday and he will be out for three or four weeks with a hamstring [problem]," Koeman told reporters.

"It is a grade one hamstring injury and normally it is between two and four weeks but it wasn't the worst [type of hamstring injury]."

Austin netted the winner on his Saints debut away at Manchester United on January 23 but has only started two Premier League matches since then and not yet scored again.