- Striker Stewart has not started a match for sixteen months due to an Achilles injury
- He has been declared fit for Sunday’s play-off final against Leeds
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Russell Martin has described the prospect that forgotten striker Ross Stewart could yet be the man to fire Southampton back to the Premier League.
The Scotland international has not started a match for 16 months due to an Achilles injury. And he has only come off the bench four times for the Saints since his £9million move from Sunderland last summer.
But the 27-year-old has been deemed fit to boost Martin’s attacking options at Wembley and the Southampton boss has not ruled out the striker becoming the match-winner.
“Maybe he has another moment that could be the most important for us this season,” Martin said. ‘I think he is very aware of that. If he does, if he is, it will be great.”
Stewart was lined up for his appearance against West Brom in the second leg of last week’s semi-final but suffered another injury setback.
Ross Stewart could be in line to play a hero role for Southampton in the play-off final
The attacker has not started a match for sixteen months due to an Achilles tendon injury. He has made just four substitute appearances since his £9m move to Southampton last summer.
Saints manager Russell Martin has now been told he will be manager next season regardless of Sunday’s result
“He’s desperate to help us and he got into a really good place and then took a hit in training which was a concern for all of us,” Martin said.
“Our fears and everyone else’s are through the roof because of what Ross has been through.”
Stewart, who scored 36 goals in three seasons at Sunderland before moving to St Mary’s, will be joined in the Saints squad by fellow Scottish striker Che Adams, who has recovered from the injury that saw him miss both legs against West Brom.
Martin, meanwhile, has been assured by chairman Henrik Kraft that he will still be Saints boss even if they lose at Wembley. “I’ll love doing that and doing it in a different way,” he said. “But hopefully it doesn’t come to that and we can win.”