Last Updated: Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:58
Nigel Adkins believes Jack Cork and Morgan Schneiderlin could hold the key to Southampton staying in the Premier League this season.
The Saints chief has endured a frustrating wait to get the duo into his midfield as Cork has been ruled out since the summer because of an ankle injury he suffered shortly after resuming pre-season training after featuring for Great Britain at the London Olympics.
However, since Adkins pitched him back into his side, Southampton have picked up four points from two matches to move within one point of the final position of Premier League safety.
Adkins believes Cork, who has lost just 11 of the 52 games he has started since joining on a permanent basis from Chelsea, perfectly suits the passing game of Schneiderlin in the midfield engine room and he is pinning his hopes on the duo inspiring the club's push for survival.
He told the Daily Echo: "We've not had an opportunity to have Jack Cork and Morgan Schneiderlin together until now.
"They are two young 23-year-olds who I believe have got so much potential and we can get a good partnership going with them.
"We also have young James Ward-Prowse who is going to be phenomenal for us and Steven Davis we have brought in and is still very young in footballing terms but has a wealth of experience he can help the players with."
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