Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has dismissed speculation that the club's leading goalscorer Rickie Lambert requires surgery.

Lambert missed Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Blackpool with a pelvic injury.

As a result, rumours had claimed that the 30-year-old could be forced to go under the knife, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

However, Adkins has insisted that Lambert played no part at the weekend as a precaution.

"Rickie Lambert does not need an operation, he has not had an operation," Adkins told Radio Solent.

"We thought he was going to be fine for Saturday but he wasn't. He trained Thursday, did half the session, came off and was very uncomfortable.

"The last thing we want to do is lose Rickie Lambert for a long period of time. We have other strikers here who are fit so we utilised them."

Lambert has scored 28 goals in all competitions this season.