Southampton midfielder Shea Charles could be sidelined until late December with a hamstring injury.
The 21-year-old Northern Ireland international had played all but 22 minutes of Saints' opening 12 Championship games, and also started their first two EFL Cup ties.
But he limped off nine minutes from the end of the the 2-1 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday, to add to boss Will Still's injury problems.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's home game against Preston (15:00 GMT) Still told BBC Radio Solent: "Shea is out for a significant amount of time, six or seven weeks, he's done his hamstring.