Koeman a doubt for season opener

A 2-0 win tonight at the GelreDome, in Arnhem, ensured Saints advanced past the third qualifying round, having beaten the Dutch club 3-0 at St Mary’s in the first leg last Thursday.

Slaven Bilic has put West Ham’s Europa League hopes on the line by leaving the majority of his first team at home – an approach Southampton manager Ronald Koeman believes would be “crazy” for his side.

Press Association Sport understands Koeman has been advised to have his ruptured Achilles operated on as soon as possible, meaning he could miss Sunday’s Premier League opener against Newcastle.

Trouble broke out before Southampton’s Europa League match at Vitesse Arnhem, with police intervening after glasses, chairs and punches were thrown. It meant he had to attend the match on crutches and was forced to sit in the dugout wearing a protective boot on his right foot.

“After four minutes, it was a fantastic goal for Graziano and you know then they have to make five and it’s almost impossible”, Erwin Koeman said. It’s just one of those things.’ Of Koeman’s absence, he added: ‘I think some teams it may affect but we’re solid and focused on the job in hand’. “We can do better and we have to do better”.

Vitesse threatened to net on a number of occasions but Koeman’s men held firm and Mane scored late in a match which witnessed Jay Rodriguez’s return to competitive football after 16 months out with a serious knee injury.

However, riot police and horses were called in after clashes began, which some onlookers said came after provocation from intruding Feyenoord fans. The incident saw 50 Dutch fans and three English supporters arrested, with a Southampton spokesman promising the club “will take relevant action against those involved”.

They now have another two-legged tie to negotiate before the group stages – with the draw for the play-off round set to take place at midday tomorrow.