Yan Valery has hailed the influence of Shane Long on the Southampton squad.
The 22-year-old Frenchman stole the spotlight on his first Premier League start of the season with a solid defensive performance against in-form Tottenham Hotspur, during the 1-1 draw at St Mary's.
But veteran forward Long, 34, was also making a surprising first start for Ralph Hasenhuttl in the league this campaign, following less successful substitute cameos versus Wolves and Crystal Palace.
“Seriously, he is actually like the best," the defender revealed. “Even without the gametime, he is always there encouraging, giving us some help, giving us some ways to get better.
“And then even today on the pitch, after not having any gametime this season, you can tell that he was fighting until the end, winning all the heading, he was just superb for us and he's the best."
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