Russell Martin shares Ross Stewart injury update at Southampton ahead of Leeds United showdown
Southampton manager Russell Martin has confirmed that Ross Stewart will “get on the pitch” in the Saint’s showdown with Leeds United.
Daniel Farke’s Whites welcome Martin’s side to Elland Road on Saturday (4 May) as they look to try and book their place in the automatic promotion places and hope that Ipswich Town slip up against Huddersfield Town.
Reports had suggested that Saints striker Stewart may have been fit in time to make the trip to Yorkshire and while he isn’t yet ready to play a full 90 minutes, Martin did admit he is “chomping at the bit” to play the Whites.
As quoted by the Daily Echo (3 May) he said: “Big Ross will be on the bench, which is fantastic for us. I want him to get on the pitch and I want him to be ready for the playoffs. I think it could be a big boost for us. He’s trained brilliantly, he’s in a great place, he was chomping at the bit.
“He was furious at me for not being on the bench on Saturday, so we were in here that morning and put him through a big session with the guys that hadn’t played.
“He worked so hard and he just wanted to be on the bench and now he has that opportunity. He’ll get on the pitch at some point, all being well, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Will Daniel Farke and Leeds United beat Ipswich Town to the Premier League?
The task for Leeds United on Saturday couldn’t be much more simple. The Whites have to win to have any hope of automatic promotion this term and even then they are relying on Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield.
While stranger things have happened, especially in the Championship, the Whites are now outsiders for an immediate return to the Premier League and their hopes of promotion will have only been further dented by Stewart’s return.
The 27-year-old has only played twice for Southampton this term as his season had been plagued by injuries, but he showed in his time with Sunderland that he is capable of being a real threat in this division.
As the Black Cats won promotion from League One, the Scotsman scored 26 goals in 53 matches and in his first season of Championship football last term he scored 11 goals in just 15 appearances.
Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu will have to be at their best to keep him quiet on Saturday if Leeds have any hopes of pulling off the impossible.
In other Leeds United news, a new stumbling block has emerged in the Whites permanent push for Tottenham’s Joe Rodon
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