Southampton FC’s revival under Tonda Eckert has seen the South Coast side, all of a sudden, emerge as promotion material through the play-offs.
Although it has taken 38 matches for Saints to reach the minimum position which many would have expected one of last season’s three Premier League clubs to be in, they are finally there on 60 points from 38 matches played.
The key to their current position in the Championship table has been a resurgence since the middle of January, where they have responded to what was a below-par performance and 2-1 defeat against Hull City with a 13-game unbeaten streak throughout all competitions.
After recording, perhaps, the biggest victory throughout said timeframe by defeating league leaders, Coventry City, 2-1 at the CBS Arena on Saturday afternoon, Southampton made it back-to-back victories with a crucial 1-0 success over Norwich City on Wednesday night.
Although it wasn’t a classic performance from the South Coast side throughout the 90 minutes, they were able to overcome a valiant effort from Philippe Clement’s much-improved, yet depleted, Canaries squad when Finn Azaz struck his 10th league goal of the season midway through the first period.
As a result, a 16th victory of the Championship season was enough for Saints to surpass Wrexham in the table and climb into the play-off places on goal difference, and they are now also just three points behind Hull.
Being in the top six will certainly have provided Eckert and his players with an even greater boost of confidence heading into a tricky encounter with Oxford United on Saturday afternoon.
And, post-match, the German was also able to deliver some more conclusive and positive news on Leo Scienza and Ross Stewart.
Tonda Eckert issues exciting Southampton FC squad update involving Leo Scienza and Ross Stewart
The attacking duo have certainly provided some crucial moments in Saints’ season, with Stewart’s recent last-gasp penalty against Fulham at Craven Cottage sealing the club’s passage into the FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal, which takes place on April 4th.
It was a standout moment in red and white for the Scottish forward, whose time at the club has been largely luckless due to injuries ever since his initial £8m switch from Sunderland in September 2023.
Both he and Scienza were picked to start Saints’ 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on March 11th, but were seen afterwards leaving in an executive car, with the Brazilian winger sustaining a groin issue, leaving all associated with the club with understandable concerns.
After they sat out the 2-1 victory against the Sky Blues, Eckert revealed that there was hope that the duo could have been involved against City on Wednesday night, but ultimately this wasn’t the case.
However, the German was able to bring positivity to the table regarding the availability of both Scienza and Stewart, with a crucial encounter against the relegation-threatened U’s on the horizon.
“It was close (for the Norwich game) and we will try to push for Saturday to see how the next days go, but let’s hope that they are available for Saturday,” he explained.
Ross Stewart and Leo Scienza’s end-of-season form could decide their Southampton futures
If Scienza and Stewart are to be back involved from Saturday onwards, it is an eight-game period which could decide their respective futures at St. Mary’s.
Since his arrival from Heidenheim in September, Scienza has been one of the best-performing attackers in the Championship with six goals and eight assists thus far.
As such, Saints have been forced into the action of placing a minimum €20m (£17.2m) valuation on his shoulders as transfer interest has already come his way from Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and Brazilian sides.
Stewart, meanwhile, is currently out-of-contract at the end of the season, and for a long time, it seemed a certainty that he would leave on a free transfer given his injury record.
However, if he is able to fire Saints to glory in what remains of the campaign, Eckert and the hierarchy will certainly be left with a decision to make.
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