Southampton’s aspirations for securing an automatic promotion spot are diminishing following a disappointing Easter weekend, compounded by a significant injury setback confirmed by manager Russell Martin ahead of their upcoming match against Blackburn on Saturday.
The Saints witnessed Leeds United, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town all making strides towards the Premier League last weekend, while they managed only a single point from their two Easter fixtures. After a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on Good Friday, they suffered a late setback against Ipswich on Easter Monday, with league leaders Ipswich securing a dramatic 3-2 victory with an injury-time winner.
Currently trailing Leeds by 12 points in second place, albeit with two games in hand, Southampton’s chances of automatic promotion are dwindling, making a playoff position seem more probable for the team from the south coast. Their final-day showdown against Leeds at Elland Road looms large, but before that, they face a Blackburn side buoyed by their 5-1 victory over Sunderland on Monday.
Martin understands the imperative of securing a win to keep their promotion hopes alive, but they will have to do so without key player Stuart Armstrong, who sustained a concussion at Portman Road, marking his first absence from a Championship game this season. Additionally, James Bree is suspended following his red card in the previous match.
“Everyone is in decent shape, but unfortunately, we’re missing James Bree due to suspension,” commented Martin. “Stuart Armstrong is sidelined due to concussion sustained from a collision with Massimo Luongo. He felt unwell in the second half and was assessed accordingly. We’re following the necessary protocols.
While he’ll miss tomorrow’s game, we hope to have him back for Tuesday pending clearance from medical examinations. Stuart hasn’t been around much this week, understandably undergoing assessments before departing. We’re adhering to the protocol, so he’ll sit out tomorrow, but we’re optimistic about his return for Tuesday.”
