Ramirez fit for Reading clash

The 22-year-old Uruguay international returned to his homeland earlier this week after a family member passed away, leading to growing concerns over his availability for Saturday.

Adkins on Friday allayed fears the club's record signing could miss the match, revealing Ramirez will arrive back in England on Saturday.

"Gaston went back to Uruguay last Sunday for compassionate reasons," Adkins said.

"He is back on the training ground tomorrow [Saturday] morning so we will have a good chat with him then.

"He has done a bit of training over in Uruguay so that is beneficial and I am sure he will be desperately wanting to play at the weekend.

"We'll have a good chat with him in the morning [about how he is feeling], but, knowing Gaston, he'll want to play."

Ramirez will have an important role if picked against fellow strugglers Reading as Saints look to propel themselves out of the Barclays Premier League drop zone.

The south coast club head into the match just three points better off than their opponents, who pipped Saints to the npower Championship crown last season.

That, though, is something Adkins insists will not provide any added incentive at St Mary's this weekend.

"We've moved on and we've got where we want to be: the Barclays Premier League," Adkins said. "Our focus is on this now.

"We're at home, you look to pick your points up there. That is massively important, especially against teams in and around you in the division.

"It is a game we're looking to get the three points from. It is not the end of the world if we don't, but we are very positive in our thinking, our attitude.

"We're looking focused to make sure we get the performance right, which gives us the opportunity to pick up the three points."

Those displays have certainly improved at the back after a miserable start to the campaign in which they shipped 28 goals in their opening 10 matches.

Saints have now conceded just four in five games in a spell that has coincided with an unchanged starting line-up.

Paulo Gazzaniga has remained in goal despite a number of high-profile gaffes, relegating club captain Kelvin Davis to the bench.

It has also kept experienced Artur Boruc out of the squad, having started successive matches against West Ham and Tottenham earlier in the season.

The Polish goalkeeper has not been seen in the first-team since the conclusion of an investigation into an alleged incident against Spurs and Adkins, who in early November said Boruc was back in contention, only had praise for him.

"He is training very hard and he is in good shape," the Saints boss said. "We have practice matches amongst ourselves.

"He is in good fettle at this moment of time. From Artur's point of view, he is fit, he is strong, he is training well and is good shape."

Boruc's deal runs out at the end of the season and another whose future has been subject of speculation is left-back Luke Shaw.

The highly-rated 17-year-old has reportedly been attracting admiring glances from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City and Manchester City.

Southampton are keen not to let another academy graduate go like Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adkins suggested they will look at a new and improved contract when he turns 18 next summer.

"He is still under 18 and when he gets to that we'll go down the same lines we've gone and done with James Ward-Prowse [who recently signed a new five-year deal at the club]," Adkins said.

"Just let him get on and enjoy playing his football."