Saints keeper Niemi desperate to return after long-term injury

Southampton's Finnish goalkeeper Antti Niemi is desperate to return to English Premiership action since sustaining a calf injury during the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal.

The 31-year-old also needed a pre-season knee operation and has since seen deputy Paul Jones stake his claim for the starting place with some excellent displays.

Niemi, however, insists he is ready to win back his place.

"I am desperate to play but Paul has done really well," he told the Southampton club website on Tuesday.

"He has kept quite a few clean sheets and the team has been doing well so there is no need to change at the moment.

"It has pretty much been the same eleven since the start of the season and they have done really well so I just have to wait for my chance.

"I have been training for about a month now roughly but for the first two weeks of that I couldnt even catch the flu!"

He said Southampton manager Gordon Strachan did not have a first-choice keeper.

"I think we are both in a pretty similar situation and we have to play well to keep our place so that is good for both of us and good for the team as well I hope."

Niemi has made two appearances for the Saints reserves on the comeback trail.