The manager of Southampton, Russell Martin, has commended Joe Aribo for his recent displays in the English Championship division as they aim to secure promotion to the Premier League, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Aribo has been delivering consistent performances for the Saints, who are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak and sit in fourth place in the English second-tier, trailing Leeds United by three points with a game in hand.
The Nigerian international shone in their 2-1 victory against Coventry, contributing to both goals, and featured for the full 90 minutes in their 3-2 triumph over Watford. He also stood out by completing the most passes in their 3-0 win over Preston, aiding Southampton’s push towards automatic promotion places.
Aribo dominated the midfield, showcasing relentless ball-winning abilities and quick progression in the first two matches during Stuart Armstrong’s absence.
Although Armstrong returned to the squad for the 3-0 win over Preston, Aribo maintained his position in the starting lineup, proving to be a constant threat that opposition struggled to contain, leading to him being fouled 11 times in these fixtures – the highest among all players.
When asked about Aribo’s performance, coach Martin praised him by stating, “He has been outstanding. Despite not playing many minutes since his return from AFCON, he has been excellent.
“Joe has played a substantial amount of minutes in the recent games. He is a top-class player. After his return from AFCON, it took him some time to readjust as he hadn’t played for several weeks. He had a fantastic tournament with valuable experiences, but he needed time to regain his peak form.”
This season, Aribo has featured in 31 games across all competitions for Southampton, accumulating a total of 1,314 minutes on the pitch and scoring three goals.