Wellens is likely to be absent for at least three weeks, suffering a similar kind of muscle injury which team-mates Chris Flannery, Keiron Cunningham and James Graham have already sustained this season.

Anderson said: "Personally, I believe that a contributing factor to the injuries is the atrocious state of our training ground at Ruskin Drive.

"I have not been happy with it during the past three years and don't think it is right that a world class side should have to train on mediocre support facilities."

The prolonged wet weather has turned the training area into little more than a bog and Anderson insisted this placed more stress on body parts which was evident on a drier surface.

"You could eat a meal off the bowling greens at Ruskin but during the 10 to 11 months we have been training there I don't think I have seen the groundsman," said the Saints' boss.

He said the inadequacies of the training pitch had at times hindered their match preparations and prevented them from practicing defensive tactics, carrying the ball and passing etc.