Just as Ross Stewart was stepping up his comeback, the striker has endured a fresh injury setback that will keep him out of the squad for Saturday’s game against Cardiff City.
Stewart signed from Sunderland on transfer deadline day in the summer, but arrived with the Achilles injury he sustained in January.
Russell Martin has tried to ease the 27-year-old into the side, with Stewart coming on in the 83rd and 80th minute in his two Southampton appearances so far.
Fans would perhaps have expected to see Stewart given a longer run out in Wednesday’s Championship match against Bristol City, so were understandably surprised to see the Scotland international left out of the squad entirely.
Speaking after the game, Martin confirmed the striker’s omission was due to an injury setback that prevented Stewart from training on Tuesday and will also mean he not be involved at the weekend.
“Ross couldn’t be in the squad. He has had a setback with his injury recovery and this sometimes happens when you come back from a long-term injury,” the Saints boss revealed, before adding: “We’re assessing him but he couldn’t be in the squad today and he won’t be in the squad on Saturday.
What is the latest on Ross Stewart’s injury?
The good news for Stewart and Southampton is that this is not related to the achilles injury that kept the former Sunderland man out for ten months, with Martin further explaining that: “It’s a muscle injury, not his Achilles injury, his Achilles injury is fine. He landed in a really awkward position at the end of the game on Saturday.”
This will be incredibly frustrating for Stewart, who will be desperate to get fit and firing for his new club following a £10 million summer move, however it is reassuring that the indication is that the muscle injury is a minor setback rather than anything longer term.
Southampton fans will have to wait for an update on the injury and will be hoping for good news, with Martin saying: “Hopefully, we will have an update on Friday with a bit more of a clear answer on Ross and where his situation is – he has been scanned.”
Southampton will miss Stewart’s killer instinct v Cardiff City
In the absence of Stewart, Southampton were incredibly dominant in their 1-0 victory over Bristol City on Wednesday night but again struggled to add to their lead. This is becoming an ongoing theme for the Saints this season as they failed to kick on after the moment of magic from Kyle Walker-Peters to score the only goal of the game.
According to FotMob, Southampton had 67% possession and limited their opponents to just one shot on target, however that one shot was only denied by an incredible reaction stop from Gavin Bazunu. Southampton once again failed to make their dominance pay, with the concerning factor being that it was not that they did not convert their chances, it is that they barely created any.
Southampton recorded an xG of 0.71 to Bristol City’s 0.81, with the Saints not registering a single big chance whilst the Robins missed two. Five of the Saints’ 14 shots were on target, but the only one that troubled Max O’Leary in the Bristol City goal Walker-Peters’ match winner.
Martin will be happy with the control his side had, particularly in the second half, but had it not been for Bazunu’s fine performance Southampton would have once again been ruing dropped points in a game they should have won comfortably.
Stewart is the man earmarked with turning these narrow victories into more resounding wins, but he will not be able to do that if his teammates don’t create chances.