Former Southampton winger Perry Groves has admitted that the Saints two starting centre-backs are not Premier League quality.
Russell Martin’s side have lost all four of their opening Premier League games and were soundly beaten 3-0 by Manchester United at St Mary’s on Saturday.
Cameron Archer missed an early penalty for the Saints, which they were made to pay for when Matthijs de Ligt put Manchester United ahead shortly after.
The spotlight has been put onto Southampton’s defence and especially centre-backs Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek.
Groves admits that the pair are not Premier League quality when it comes to playing out from the back.
He though feels that the error which allowed De Ligt to score was defensive basics rather than a lack of quality.
Asked on talkSPORT’s Sunday Session if the pair are Premier League quality, Groves replied: “No they are not.
“But you can say about Premier League quality playing out from the back with Stephens and Bednarek, but the De Ligt header, if you look, that is just very basic.
“Stephens is the one who is caught at the far post where he is three or four yards behind the rest of the back four.
“So that is just basics.”
Saints are next in action away at Everton in the EFL Cup, before they then host newly promoted Ipswich Town at St Mary’s in the league.
