Confirmed: Tonda Eckert reveals big Southampton boost ahead of West Brom | OneFootball

Tonda Eckert's injury update ahead of West Brom on Tuesday is exactly what Saints fans will want to hear

Adam Armstrong is set to be available for Southampton's home game against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, Tonda Eckert has revealed.

The 28-year-old scored his first brace of the season against Birmingham City on Saturday, taking his tally for the year up to nine, but was withdrawn just past the hour mark.

That will have been a concern for all at Southampton, who have been resurgent under Eckert in recent times after the sacking of Will Still, but the German boss has issued an update on Armstrong and it will represent a huge relief and boost for the Saints ahead of tomorrow's clash against the Baggies.

Tonda Eckert issues Adam Armstrong, Southampton update ahead of West Brom despite Birmingham City knock

Alfie House of the Southern Daily Echo has revealed that Southampton came out of their 3-1 win over Birmingham injury-free, despite star striker Armstrong picking up a knock.

On course for a hat-trick and with the game still in the balance, there was always the threat of this being injury-based, rather than tactical, and Eckert did reveal in his pre-West Brom press conference that Armstrong did suffer a knock in the Birmingham win.

However, he's also said that the 28-year-old has recovered well and will be available for the visit of Ryan Mason's Baggies this Tuesday.

Tonda Eckert's start to life as permanent Saints boss couldn't have gotten off to a better start, picking up a big win against another play-off chasing side, with two players who have really shone under the 32-year-old continuing to provide on the scoresheet.

Finn Azaz's opener took his goal tally to six in six under the German boss, and he would then set up Armstrong's first of two, which took him to five goals in six games since Eckert initially took over as interim boss, before being handed the reins permanently ahead of the Birmingham win.

Now, Southampton are just three points off the top six, and it'll be likely that Armstrong, who now has 89 second-tier goals in his career, will be key to ensuring that the Saints climb into the top six and potentially even further up towards the top two.

Therefore, an injury picked up ahead of a period where Tonda Eckert's side plays seven times in the space of four weeks would be a massive blow. Luckily for him, he doesn't have to worry about that just yet.

West Brom will hope that Adam Armstrong doesn't come back to haunt them on Tuesday

Armstrong and West Brom have prior relations, with the 28-year-old spending an uneventful loan spell at the Hawthorns in the latter half of last season.

The prolific frontman's scoring nous in the Championship was seemingly left on the south coast ahead of the loan move, however, as Armstrong netted just three times in 16 league games for the Baggies as they slumped to a mid-table finish.

The 28-year-old has already tripled that tally in just three more games this season back at Southampton, and he seems well on his way to registering yet another 20+-goal campaign this term, after he scored 21 in 2023/24 and 28 in 2020/21.

With the Saints flying and Armstrong firing in front of goal, the news that he'll be available to play against West Brom will not be what Ryan Mason and the Baggies' fans want to hear.