Ex-Sunderland man Ross Stewart suffers fresh injury setback as he waits for first Southampton start
Ross Stewart is back in the treatment room after picking up an injury during his latest substitute outing for the Saints
Former Sunderland man Ross Stewart has suffered an injury setback as his wait for a first start for new club Southampton continues. Scottish striker Stewart needed an operation after rupturing his Achilles tendon playing in an FA Cup tie at Fulham in January, with that proving to be his last game for the Black Cats.
He was nearing fitness in the summer when he made a £10m deadline day move to the Saints, and finally made his long-awaited debut for Russell Martin's men earlier this month when he came on as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion. He then came off the bench against Huddersfield last Saturday, but missed the midweek win at Bristol City with Martin explaining that the 27-year-old had picked up a fresh injury - not related to his Achilles - had undergone a scan, and would miss this weekend's home game against Cardiff City.
"Ross couldn't be in the squad," said Martin following the Bristol City game. "He has had a setback with his injury recovery and this sometimes happens when you come back from a long-term injury.
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"We're assessing him but he couldn't be in the squad [on Wednesday] and he won't be in the squad on Saturday. 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.
"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.
"He managed to finish the game which gives us a chink of light but we have to be really careful with him and get the experts to have a look at it."
Stewart was Sunderland's 26-goal top scorer as the Black Cats won promotion from League One the season before last, and he scored ten goals in his first Championship campaign despite being fit for less than a third of the games.