Southampton fans are counting down the days until they see their side take on Leeds United in the Championship play-off final.
With the two sides finishing third and fourth in the league in the regular season, the game looks set to be a really close affair with plenty of quality on display.
Both sides will be desperate to win at Wembley and secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, with both also fully aware of the consequences of staying in the Championship in terms of player departures.
Southampton will be confident going into Sunday’s game given the fact they have won both the two clubs’ meetings this season, most recently just three weeks ago at Elland Road on the final day.
Leeds will have their tails up too, though, having smashed Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their play-off semi-final.
There are plenty of storylines in the final, with every player motivated to be the difference maker, but Southampton legend Franny Benali has named the player he feels could make a big impact at Wembley.
Franny Benali tips Ross Stewart to make his mark v Leeds
Benali was a guest on the BBC’s Football Daily podcast, where he joined Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff and Phil Brown in previewing the final.
There is no question about who Benali will want to secure a return to the Premier League, with the man who made 344 appearances for the Saints according to Transfermarkt never one to hide his loyalty to the club.
Benali had an interesting take on the game, tipping the hardly seen Ross Stewart to make a telling contribution after a season ravaged by injury.
The former left-back said: “I can’t help but feel that Ross Stewart is going to have some kind of say in this final game in Saints’ push for promotion.
“He’s been out with an injury virtually all season, he’s had a handful of appearances as a substitute, four appearances as a sub I think.
“With the uncertainty of Che Adams and whether he’s going to be fit or not i can see Ross Stewart – I haven’t quite dreamt it – but i can see him coming on in the final minute and maybe scoring a goal, his first goal for Saints in limited minutes that could be the biggest goal, probably, in the club’s history.”
Telling Ross Stewart contribution in final could make up for disappointing season
Whilst Benali may have got slightly carried away with the biggest goal in the club’s history claim, given the Saints won the FA Cup final 1-0 against Manchester United in 1976 whilst a second tier club, the magnitude of the game is still huge.
The winner of Sunday’s game will return to the riches of the Premier League and it would represent some jump for Stewart, who has played just 17 games in the Championship in his whole career.
The striker signed for £10 million in the summer and arrived with the achilles injury that had seen him sidelined since January 2023.
The Scotland international finally made his debut in November with a cameo against West Brom and followed that up with another short appearance in the following game.
However, Stewart picked up a hamstring problem in just his second game that kept him out until the final day against Leeds.
The 27-year-old then made his longest appearance in a Southampton shirt in the semi-final first leg as he managed half an hour against West Brom, but was an unused substitute in the second leg with Martin citing a knock the player was carrying.
All the injury woes Stewart has suffered this season could quickly be forgotten if he proves Benali’s prediction right and scores a winner off the bench at Wembley.
