What Will Still has said about Damion Downs and Ross Stewart situation at Southampton FC | OneFootball

The two centre-forwards weren't included in the Saints' squad for their trip to Portman Road.

Will Still has revealed when he hopes striker pairing Damion Downs and Ross Stewart will be available for selection again after they missed Sunday's draw with Ipswich Town.

The Saints were reduced to just two number nine options in their 18-man squad for their trip to Portman Road over the weekend. Adam Armstrong, as he did in Southampton's league opener against Wrexham, started, while Cameron Archer eventually came off the bench to offer more of a threat up front.

Against Wrexham, just over a week ago, Still had five goalscoring options to bring on in his side's 2-1 win, with Downs, Stewart and Ben Brereton Diaz all involved. The Chilean international remained an unused sub against Ipswich, but the two number nines weren't involved at all.

Reasons for Damion Downs and Ross Stewart's absences vs Ipswich Town revealed

Still revealed after the 1-1 draw with Kieran McKenna's side that Downs and Stewart missed the trip to East Anglia due to fitness issues. The boss won't let either player simply walk into the first XI once they are ready to go, insisting that they have work to do, but he is hopeful that they will be ready for this weekend's match with Stoke City.

He said, via the Daily Echo: "They need to get better, obviously. But they're two good players, and they're two options that we didn't have today.

"I'm sure the medical team will work with them and they'll be back in training at some point next week. Hopefully they're back for the next game."

Stewart has struggled to stay healthy all throughout his near two-year stint at St Mary's. Since joining the club from Sunderland as part of a £12 million deal in the summer of 2023, the 28-year-old Scot has featured in only 16 league matches.

Downs got his first start for Southampton since being bought from FC Koln earlier in this summer for £6.8 million in the EFL Cup. The US-international put in an hour-long shift against League One's Northampton Town but is still yet to get off the mark for the Saints.

Damion Downs and Ross Stewart could be Southampton's missing piece up top, if healthy

While Armstrong's last full season for Southampton in the Championship was a very fruitful one - he scored 21 goals in the 2023/24 second-tier campaign - his more recent exploits at the level haven't been one of a striker that can get a team promoted.

Similarly, Stewart's record in this division is strong. Injuries have prevented him from showing off his talents, but he is certainly one of Southampton's attacking options that has the potential to return big numbers.

The performances this season of him and Downs could play a big role in determining the club's fate. Their promotion hopes will only be bolstered by a regularly firing number nine. The two missing strikers from Sunday potentially have the best chance of being that person.