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Sam Allardyce has rubbished any rumours that Andy Carroll was set to miss Saturday’s trip to Southampton through a virus but admits he may not start with the loanee striker.

Reports yesterday suggested Andy Carroll was suffering from a virus and might miss Saturday’s Premier League clash at St. Mary’s, preventing the forward from getting straight back to goal-scoring action after missing the trip to parent club Liverpool last Sunday.

But Allardyce insists Carroll is not imune from being dropped and is considering starting with Carlton Cole again.

He told said: “Andy was always fit, it was only the loan system that doesn’t allow him to play against his former club, so he’s available.

“Whether I’m going to select him or keep Carlton Cole in is a little dilemma because I thought Carlton did ever so well last week. I suppose had Carlton scored, I’d have definitely kept him but he didn’t.”

And Allardyce is hoping his side can repeat the performance that earned an important point at Anfield and take all three points at Southampton, all but securing Premier League survival in the progress.

“We just have to make sure we perform as we did against Liverpool,” he added.

“Southampton, having won the last three on the trot has given them a tremendous boost and virtually put them safe like ourselves. So they will be full of confidence and expecting to beat us after they’ve just beaten Liverpool and Chelsea at home.

“If we win it, I think so [be safe from relegation]. I know mathematically people will say we can still be caught and somebody could still overtake us but I find it difficult to believe that anybody would.”