Russell Martin has offered an update on the fitness of a player who could be key to Southampton’s chances of play-off glory.
Southampton are in a strong position, having kept a clean sheet to draw 0-0 in the play-off semi-final first leg away at West Brom on Sunday.
Now they are preparing for the home reverse, confident that they will be able to get the job done in front of the St Mary’s crowd.
One player that could have a huge say in how that game pans out is Ross Stewart and Martin has provided an update on how ready the striker is to start ahead of Friday night.
Ross Stewart ‘more ready’ to start after West Brom minutes
Stewart signed for the Saints for a fee of £10 million in the summer despite the fact he had been out with an achilles injury since January.
Coincidentally, the Scotland striker made his long-awaited debut against West Brom in November but would only feature once more before the final game of the regular season against Leeds United last week.
That is because the 27-year-old suffered a hamstring injury against Huddersfield Town in the following game, meaning he played just 17 minutes for the club he joined in August prior to his return against Leeds.
Stewart’s 71st-minute introduction in Sunday’s first leg against West Brom represented his longest cameo for the Saints and he looked bright as his deflected strike was well saved by the Baggies’ goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
Those minutes were important in helping Stewart get up to speed and Martin has provided an update on how the former Sunderland man’s fitness is improving.
The Southampton manager said: “That half an hour for him will be so important in the next step for him, so he’s more ready to start a game for sure.
“We need to make sure we win on Friday to give him another opportunity to be ready for another game, that’s the job at hand.”
Martin cannot risk too much too soon for Stewart
Whilst this will be music to the ears of Southampton fans desperate to see more of their marquee summer signing, Martin’s response implies Stewart is unlikely to be ready start a game unless his side are in the Wembley final on 26th May.
Che Adams has been in great form of late, registering nine goal contributions in his last 14 games, but was a surprising absentee in the 0-0 draw on Sunday.
Adams came off early in the second-half against Leeds but Martin had suggested it was merely a precaution ahead of the play-offs.
Therefore, it was a shock to see 21-year-old Sekou Mara in the starting line-up on Sunday, with Adams not even making the bench.
Mara was poor as he and Adam Armstrong failed to threaten the West Brom back line, which has only increased fans’ desire to see Stewart start on Friday night.
However, Martin must resist any temptation to risk playing the attacker from the start after so long out.
Even if Adams is absent again, which is unlikely, Martin will be far better served allowing Stewart to make an impact off the bench rather than labouring through the game from the start as he looks to get up to match fitness during a game of such magnitude.
If Stewart can make a telling impact in the play-offs, a painstakingly frustrating season will seem a distant memory. It just may be that he has to do this from the bench.