Southampton striker Danny Ings has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a knee injury he sustained in the Premier League win over Aston Villa.

Ings scored in the second half of the 4-3 win at Villa Park but was forced off five minutes from time following a challenge with Trezeguet.

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that the damage suffered to the club's top scorer was significant enough to warrant a "small surgery".

However, the injury is not a recurrence of an old knee problem, which could have seen him out for a much longer period.

Hassenhuttl added: "It could have been much worse, but at the moment he's out for maybe 4-6 weeks.

"He'll have a small surgery tomorrow. He's definitely out for now. It's a small surgery but a necessary one."

Ings scored 22 goals last season, finishing just one behind Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy.

The England international has already found the net five times in the opening seven games of the new season.

The Saints have a few more injury problems ahead of Friday night's game against Newcastle at St. Mary's.

Ryan Bertrand looks set to miss the game against Newcastle with a hamstring injury but Hassenhuttl is more hopeful Jan Bednarek (concussion) and Ibrahima Diallo (dead leg) will be available.

"Jan Bednarek may train today, it was a horrible crash on the ground. Ryan Bertrand is likely to be out for the weekend. Diallo has a dead leg from a hard kick."