Nuno says Ward-Prowse remains committed but is excluded from the match day squads because it’s best for the team.

One of the first things Nuno changed when joining the club was James Ward-Prowse’s involvement in the team. He went from being a regular starter under Graham Potter to not even making the bench.

While fans had been calling for him to be dropped, to some this treatment seems a little harsh.

Understandably, there are questions around whether or not his heart can fully be in it with all that’s happened, but Nuno has assured the press that he still works hard in case he’s needed.

“All the players are committed, working hard,” he said when asked about what the midfielder needs to do in order to be back in consideration. “It’s not an easy situation, but believe me, making the squad and deciding is tough. But we decide for the best.”

Ward-Prowse always gave everything he could on the pitch, and his poor performances were nowhere near a level where he should be being completely dropped from the squad.

Given that we saw Nuno do a similar thing with him at Forest, it’s clear that he just doesn’t fancy him for his system.