Southampton could receive huge injury boost if this Middlesbrough star is missing

Southampton fans will have travelled up to Middlesbrough at the crack of the dawn to cheer on their Saints troops, ahead of the Championship playoffs getting underway.

Indeed, it's a lunchtime kick-off at the Riverside this Saturday, and with the added spice of the South Coast team's spying antics now in play, this has all the makings of being a first-leg classic.

Tonda Eckert, who has just picked up the Manager of the Month award for April, will still be confident that his team can pick up an away win on their travels to Teesside, as he has been handed some positive news on the injury front.

Positive news on the injury front for the Saints

In the build-up to this nerve-wracking clash on the road, Eckert did keep his cards close to his chest.

He did reveal that the likes of Jack Stephens and Kuryu Matsuki had trained ahead of the match at the Riverside Stadium, though, which will be welcome news indeed for those of a Saints persuasion.

While Stephens certainly has his deficiencies as an unflashy veteran at the back, his know-how of how to traverse the playoffs calmly will be extremely beneficial to Eckert's camp, as he started every game of Russell Martin's successful playoff campaign. Hopefully, he will be able to feature as a leader-like figure for the South Coast side.

Matsuki being involved in some capacity will also be a welcome boost to morale, with the Japanese attacker a real bundle of energy whenever he's been unleashed into Saints contests.

The lively number 27 has four Championship goals this season, from only 11 starts, with Matsuki surely a weapon that could be unleashed to devastating effect during the tiring playoff games to come, when Boro's energy is on the floor.

Flynn Downes is also back and available for selection after serving a late-season ban, with Southampton ready to win any midfield battles that come their way, as Boro could have to make do without this talisman centrally.

Middlesbrough could have to make do with their star-man

Middlesbrough have several players Southampton must keep close tabs on if they're to progress through to a nail-biting Wembley final.

Already, this season, Morgan Whittaker has bagged a brace against the Saints, when Boro pummelled Eckert's men 4-0 in January, so the assignment for the away defenders at the Riverside will be to thwart the playmaker much more effectively this time around.

While Whittaker will need to be nullified, Eckert might not need to prepare his team for the challenge of trying to silence Hayden Hackney, with his fitness touch-and-go in the build-up to Saturday's early showdown.

Hellberg has already revealed that Hackney - who has been out of Boro's first-team action since March - will not be fit enough to start this vital first leg clash, which will embolden the Saints in their mission to frustrate the hosts on Teesside.

As a result of the Manchester United-linked midfielder being out of action, among other factors, Boro fell out of the automatic promotion picture, with Hackney crucial to how the promotion chasers set up.

Indeed, off the back of picking up five goals and seven assists from 38 league appearances, alongside winning a lively 5.4 ball recoveries per game, the beloved Boro number seven was crowned the Championship Player of the Season at the EFL awards, where several Saints players were snubbed.

Not being able to fall back on the tenacious 23-year-old immediately for the exhausting playoff matches will be a body blow for the hosts to deal with, as Southampton tries to capitalise on any weaknesses, on the contrary, to progress through to the playoff final at Wembley.

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