Saints Believe They've Been Sabotaged Following Cancellation of Hotel Reservations Due to 'Virus'

The relegation showdown between Southampton and Swansea City has seemingly kicked off before actual kick-off as the visiting Saints had their hotel reservation cancelled at the last minute.

Mark Hughes and his side were supposed to have moved into the Swansea Marriott near the Liberty Stadium ahead of the clash, but were told on Sunday that the 40 rooms they'd booked had become unavailable, according to the Daily Mail.

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They were forced to stay at the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel near Cardiff, about an hour away from the Swans' home stadium, something which could prove to be a great inconvenience.

The Mail report that the Saints suspect 'dirty tricks' and believe that their plans have been 'sabotaged' following a call made out of the blue to the assistant of their club secretary informing him that the resort had been struck by a 'virus'.

The Marriott is the only hotel in Swansea equipped with the amenities to house a football team, per the Mail. And Southampton officials had a request to visit the hotel to make observations turned down.

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After learning that the hotel was still booking other members of the public, they contacted the Marriott again, only to be informed that there would be no change.

"We would have happily sent our own staff to the hotel to see if everything was OK but we were told this is not possible," a Saints source told the Mail.

"We have had no option but to book the team into the nearest suitable hotel, which is 35 miles away down the M4. Mark Hughes is furious about this. It's a huge game with everything hinging on it. The least Mark and the players deserve is a level playing field."