Southampton Fan View: Saints must give Alex McCarthy a new contract

Dusan Tadic stole the show as Southampton defeated Bournemouth 2-1 at the weekend, but many of the plaudits have rightly gone to Alex McCarthy.

The Saints goalkeeper turned in a quite faultless display. He commanded his box expertly, claiming crosses and confidently punching balls away when they were whipped in from the wide areas.

McCarthy made two sublime saves with his feet. Firstly, he denied Nathan Ake before half-time and then replicated the save late on, keeping Saints in the game. This was before he made perhaps one of the most important stops in the club’s recent history as he clawed Ryan Fraser’s deflected effort to safety in the 94th minute.

AS IT UNFOLDED: Southampton v Bournemouth

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If truth is told, this type of performance is not unusual for McCarthy. Since his introduction to the starting line-up just before the turn of the year, the 28-year-old has performed well and has been largely let down by the defensive structure ahead of him.

Often, McCarthy has made some fantastic, point-blank, reflex saves only to see the rebounds tucked home by opposition attackers due to the lack of awareness and focus from Saints’ defenders. McCarthy is yet to make a genuine, costly error for Southampton and this should be commended.

He has come in from the dark to provide a safe pair of hands between the sticks. Fraser Forster eventually became little more than a liability and McCarthy has stepped in, performing admirably and offering a lot more confidence.

However, Saints must be careful if they are to keep McCarthy. He is, perhaps, one of the players who could stick around even if the club are relegated to the Championship and it is because of this that the club simply have to secure his future at St Mary’s.

When McCarthy signed for Saints from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2016, he was recruited as a backup player and on a three-year deal. Therefore, come the end of next season, he is currently set to walk away for free. Simply put, Southampton cannot afford to let this happen.

McCarthy has proven himself. He appears to finally be recreating the form he showed during his time at Reading and given that he is now playing regular first-team football, it’d be something of a surprise to see him seek an exit from St Mary’s – especially if the club retain their Premier League status.

It’s been some time since Southampton were able to feel confident in a goalkeeper. Now that the club have one, it is absolutely imperative that he is rightfully rewarded with an improved, extended contract if he wants to stay put.