Charlie Austin handed three-game suspension for violent conduct by the FA following clash with Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl

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Southampton travel to Wembley to play Tottenham without top goalscorer Charlie Austin after he was banned for three games for violent conduct.

Austin was charged by the FA after he caught Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl in the face with a right boot during the 1-1 draw at St Mary’s on Saturday.

Referee Lee Probert didn’t see the incident which left the Danish goalkeeper with blood pouring down his face.

Charlie Austin has been suspended for three matches for this incident with Jonas Lossl

Huddersfield manager David Wagner accused Austin of deliberately trying to hurt Lossl.

He said: ‘It was a very ugly and nasty challenge. This should never happen where an opponent hurts an opponent on purpose even if I don’t like to say he has done it but [that’s] what it looks like.’

The ban is unlikely to affect Austin after he was ruled out of action for two weeks with a hamstring injury which he suffered in the draw against Wagner’s side.

The 28-year-old will also miss the trip to Manchester United on December 30 and the home fixture against Crystal Palace on January 2. 

Austin immediately apologised and signalled for the physios to come on to treat Lossl's injury

The Huddersfield goalkeeper suffered a suspected broken nose following the ugly incident

Saints manager Mauricio Pellegrino is also expected to be without wantaway defender Virgil van Dijk for the game against Spurs.

Van Dijk, a transfer target of Manchester City and Liverpool, was left out of the squad for the game against Huddersfield.

James Ward-Prowse, however, thinks Southampton are capable of getting by without the Dutch defender despite recording just one win in their last 10 league games.

He also believes Saints can nullify Mauricio Pochettino’s star striker Harry Kane.

Huddersfield boss David Wagner suggested Austin had attempted to deliberately injure Lossl

Kane is one goal away from breaking Alan Shearer’s record of 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year after scoring a hat-trick against Burnley.

Ward-Prowse said: ‘It will obviously be a high energy game. They play a good, attacking style of football. Having played under him [Pochettino] you know what you’re going to get so I’m very excited and it’s a good chance to put things right.

‘Every team goes through a tough period in the season but we have to stick together, keep believing in each other and keep believing in what we’re doing and I’m sure it will change.’