SOUTHAMPTON: James Ward-Prowse has added to the upbeat mood at Southampton by agreeing a new five-and-a-half-year contract ahead of the visit of Swansea City to St Mary's Stadium on Sunday.
The midfielder, 20, has been rewarded for his impressive efforts during a campaign that left Saints in third spot, five points adrift of second-placed Manchester City, heading into the latest round of Premier League matches.
Ronald Koeman's side have defied expectations in overcoming the loss of former manager Mauricio Pochettino and several key players during pre-season.
The south coast club then showed they can sustain their challenge for a top-four finish by responding positively to an alarming run of four straight league defeats in early December.
Since that dip, Koeman's team have collected 16 points from a possible 18 and victory over a Swansea side without a win in their last four league matches will further reinforce their credentials.
Ward-Prowse, tipped as a future England international, credits Dutch great Koeman with improving a Southampton side that was already on the up.
"He's bringing the confidence out of everyone," said the midfielder, who will remain at the club until 2020.
"We had a lot of confidence last year but the freedom that he's given everyone and the way he manages players is really good."
Koeman's choices against Swansea have been increased by the return of Japan's Maya Yoshida from the Asian Cup, and Sadio Mane who was at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
Last weekend's home defeat by Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in the FA Cup took some of the gloss off Saints' recent progress and Koeman will again be without the injured quartet of Victor Wanyama, Morgan Schneiderlin, Toby Alderweireld and Shane Long.
"Wanyama, Schneiderlin and Alderweireld are close to being back but not for this Sunday," said Koeman. "Hopefully, we will have these players available for next week.
"Shane is out for three to four weeks more because he has fractured one of his ribs and it's very painful, that's a shame."
Like Southampton, Swansea find themselves out of the FA Cup although their loss at second-tier Blackburn was more painful, particularly as it featured red cards for both Kyle Bartley and Gylfi Sigurdsson.
City's loss of form has seen them drop to ninth going into the latest round of games and, with striker Wilfried Bony having left for Manchester City this month, Garry Monk's side are in need of a lift.
"We've had a dip in form in terms of the standards we've set ourselves this season," said Swansea manager Monk.
"We need to fight to get back to the levels we set as soon as possible, grabbing that momentum to push us on in the second half of the season, which I am confident we will do."
Monk added: "We knew it would be a difficult period because of the players missing, but I don't want to make excuses.
"It's about getting back to the basics of what we have done well this season, starting with this weekend's game against Southampton."
Sigurdsson and Bartley are suspended but captain Ashley Williams is fit to return at centre-back.
Swansea signed Jack Cork from Southampton on Friday but the deal was not completed in time for the former England Under-21 midfielder to be eligible to face his old club on Sunday.
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