Mason Holgate joined Southampton on loan last month with the hope of kick-starting his career away from Everton and Goodison Park.
Two games into his St Mary’s career, though, and the centre-back is perhaps questioning his decision, after yet more disappointing moments for his loan club.
Holgate’s debut was one to forget as he was subbed off against Sunderland with his side four goals behind in an eventual 5-0 drubbing.
The 26-year-old returned to the side for the first time since that loss in Saturday’s [23 September] Championship clash with Middlesbrough.
However, Holgate came under fire for his first-half display and was substituted early once again, this time at half-time.
Starting at right-back, the former England U21 international appeared to be targeted by Boro down his flank.
Daily Echo reporter Alfie House commented on Twitter [23 September] that Holgate had “a few run off his right shoulder” early on.
Holgate was also said to be at fault for Boro’s equaliser, as he had “no idea a man was behind him and [was] caught in possession”.
That was near enough Holgate’s last involvement in the match, as Ryan Manning was brought on in his place at the midway point.
Holgate completed just 81.8% of his passes [WhoScored] – the third-worst figure of any Southampton player on the day as the Saints succumbed to a 2-1 loss on their travels.
However, the Englishman’s two aerial duels won was bettered by only Taylor Harwood-Bellis, so it was not a totally disastrous display.
On the basis of those two performances so far, though, it seems that Holgate now faces a similar task at Southampton as he did at Goodison.
Fingers crossed for the defender that he can prove his doubters wrong.