The Scottish player won’t be able to participate in the upcoming match against his former team this weekend due to recurring injuries throughout the season. Stewart played a key role in Sunderland’s promotion from League One, contributing ten goals in 13 appearances upon their return to the Championship. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury followed by Achilles tendon surgery has forced him to sit out for the remainder of the season.

Sunderland decided to capitalize on the 27-year-old player during the summer as negotiations for a contract extension hit a standstill. Stewart subsequently finalized a £10 million transfer to St. Mary’s to join Southampton, but he has only managed to make two appearances for the club since his move down south.

After successfully recovering from a damaged Achilles tendon, the player managed to make two appearances. However, a subsequent hamstring injury has effectively halted his participation in the ongoing season. Speaking to the club media in December, Southampton’s manager, Russell Martin, acknowledged the situation, stating, “I think we need to be really honest about Ross and realistic; we probably won’t see him again this season. Although it’s short-term pain for us, in the long term, we need Ross to undergo a full pre-season before risking him for perhaps three or four weeks this season, which seems a little bit impractical.”

Regarding Ross, we had to conduct a follow-up scan on his injury to wait for the initial swelling to subside, and unfortunately, the results were not promising. It’s disheartening for him, and the string of unfortunate news continues. Despite the setbacks, I remain confident that he will prove to be an excellent addition to this football club in the long run. Our priority now is to ensure he fully recovers and is prepared to make a strong start in the upcoming pre-season.

“I hold a lot of affection and respect for Ross,” Dodds expressed when questioned about Stewart’s unfortunate streak of injuries before the upcoming weekend’s game. “Beyond being a highly skilled footballer for this club, he’s a fantastic guy. He approached each day with a positive attitude, worked diligently, and, to be honest, I’m truly saddened for him. If he happens to hear this, I want to convey this with all due respect—I’m not saddened or desperate solely because he’ll be absent this weekend.

However, I understand the depth of his disappointment right now. He’s eager to be out on the field, and he’s likely endured a challenging period over the past year or so.

I genuinely wish him all the best and hope to see him back on the pitch playing at the earliest opportunity—just not this weekend. I have nothing but positive things to say about Ross.”

Sunderland heads to St. Mary’s after enduring five consecutive defeats in the Championship, causing their playoff aspirations to dwindle. Sitting just nine points above the bottom three, the Black Cats must be vigilant, as another road defeat this weekend could heighten concerns about their league position.