GRAEME SOUNESS takes his battered and bruised troops to his former club Southampton tomorrow without two key players.

The 51-year-old Scot, who spent one season at the club between 1996 and 1997, will be without both Kieron Dyer and Aaron Hughes for the trip to the south coast, after picking up injuries in Thursday's UEFA Cup first round first leg clash against Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin at St James' Park.

Dyer faces several weeks on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring strain, while Hughes is rated 50-50 for tomorrow's game after he limped off after only 15 minutes following a kick to his knee.

Souness said: "It's Kieron's hamstring which isn't good news and we can rule him out of Sunday's game at Southampton for a start.

"I think we're looking at weeks, although we'll have to assess it over the next 24 hours or so. It's disappointing for him, but we're fortunate we have some excellent midfield players and it will open the door for someone else. Aaron got whacked on the knee in the first couple of minutes of the game."

Despite being stretched defensively for the game new signing Ronny Johnsen, who actually trained with the Saints following his release from Aston Villa in the summer, will not take any part.

The Norwegian international was part of the Manchester United treble-winning team in the 1998/99 season has been earmarked as a stop-gap for the departing Jonathan Woodgate but Souness says this weekend's game has come too early for the 35-year-old stopper.

Souness added: "He's not quite right yet. He'll be ready in a week, ten days to two weeks."

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