All eyes are on Wembley on Sunday afternoon as Southampton face Leeds United in the Championship play-off final, and Russell Martin has provided an update on two Saints strikers.
Leeds advanced to the final with a 4-0 second-leg victory over Norwich City, who fired manager David Wagner less than 24 hours after the defeat at Elland Road.
Southampton emulated Leeds, who had drawn 0-0 with West Brom in the first leg at The Hawthorns. The Saints easily defeated the Baggies 3-1, with West Brom grabbing a consolation goal in the 97th minute.
The Saints are well-known for their striker choices, and Adam Armstrong scored again on Friday, this time a beautiful left-footed drive into the far corner to put Southampton up 2-0 against West Brom.
However, Martin will want to have all of his choices accessible, including two other top-tier alternatives in Che Adams and Ross Stewart. Adams was absent for the second leg last week.
Stewart was benched after playing 30 minutes in the first leg due to a long-term injury. But he was a no-show from the bench against West Brom, and Martin has now provided an update:
Martin provides an update on Southampton duo Adams and Stewart.
Of course, a Southampton team with Scotland’s Adams and target man Stewart is a far more potent force than a Saints team with only Armstrong up front, who has contributed 36 goals.
There are reports that Adams is about to join Wolves on a free transfer, which could explain why he is not playing. However, Martin told The Echo that he expects both attackers to be fit on Sunday.
“He [Stewart] is fine, absolutely. He took a whack in the first leg, but he’d been through some training and was only going to be used tonight if we absolutely needed him. We truly expect him to be totally fit.
“I also healed in time for the final. According to The Daily Echo, Southampton boss Martin stated over the weekend that Stewart and Adams may be two really important alternatives for the club.
What is the injury status of the Leeds United squad until Sunday?
Dan James and Connor Roberts are fit, and both came off the bench in the second leg to play against Norwich, although Patrick Bamford’s knee injury prevented him from participating.
Bamford will miss the next four games against QPR, Southampton, and both Norwich legs due to an injury sustained during the 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough. On his podcast, he discussed whether he would be able to return in time to play.
It is uncertain whether Sam Byram will be healthy after missing the second leg, but Pascal Struijk and Stuart Dallas will not be at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, with Dallas likely to retire from professional football.
