Eckert Confirms Ross Stewart Return but Two Teammates Remain Unavailable
Sunday at 3: 00 p. m. ET, Tonda Eckert confirmed ross stewart is set to return for Southampton’s FA Cup trip to Premier League Fulham. UNCONFIRMED — whether Stewart will start the match is unconfirmed as of 3: 00 p. m. ET; the coach’s squad announcement and the matchday team list will resolve that.
Tonda Eckert confirms Ross Stewart is available for Fulham trip
Eckert confirmed Stewart was passed fit to face Fulham after missing the most recent league game because of muscle tightness. Southampton extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 3-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday, and Eckert described Stewart’s inclusion as a positive ahead of the cup tie.
Welington and Jay Robinson still unavailable, Eckert says
UNCONFIRMED — the return timelines for Welington and Jay Robinson are unconfirmed as of 3: 00 p. m. ET; Eckert said both players “are still going to take a little bit longer. ” That leaves the squad without those two ahead of Sunday.
Confirmed fact: Eckert also outlined a broader injury picture at the club. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy remains out after wrist surgery, and Mads Roerslev has been ruled out for the rest of the season following an Achilles operation.
How Eckert plans to manage Ross Stewart across four away games
Eckert confirmed the Fulham match begins a four-game run of consecutive away fixtures for his side and that the squad had a full week to prepare. Still, ross stewart’s minutes have been managed this season: he missed Sheffield Wednesday with tightness and had earlier short substitute appearances, including about 20 minutes off the bench in a recent win.
That said, Eckert said the team will “make sure that we go strong” for the cup tie and that the squad is in good condition to enter a block of five games. UNCONFIRMED — how Eckert will distribute minutes across the four away matches remains unconfirmed as of 3: 00 p. m. ET and will be clarified by his selection choices over the coming matches.
Closing: The confirmed next event that will move the story is Southampton’s FA Cup fifth-round trip to Fulham on Sunday at 3: 00 p. m. ET. If ross stewart is confirmed to start in the squad announcement and on the matchday team list, he is expected to be involved across the four consecutive away games Eckert outlined.
