RALPH Hasenhuttl confirmed that injury-absentee Stuart Armstrong could make a return to Saints training this week, ahead of the West Ham Boxing Day fixture at London Stadium.

Saints haven’t won a Premier League game without the Scotsman taking to the field since December 2019, a run which has further extended with his last feature this campaign being the 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

Since that victory at the start of November – which was only Armstrong’s fifth game since returning from the persistent calf injury that sidelined him for a first time – Saints have gone six without success.

And the concerns have meant Hasenhuttl has been limited in the amount of time he’s been able to work with the midfielder, who has also been called up to Steve Clarke’s international squads repeatedly despite no gametime.

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Asked for an update on the progress of the 29-year-old by the Daily Echo, the boss responded: “Mentally I’m not so sure because I haven’t spoken with him for one or two weeks now.

Daily Echo: Stuart Armstrong made his first start of the season in the EFL Cup at Chelsea (Pic: PA)Stuart Armstrong made his first start of the season in the EFL Cup at Chelsea (Pic: PA)

“Physically, I now see him more and more on the pitch outside.

“The last message I had on him from the physios was that he could be next week, before the West Ham game, starting to train with the team.”

He added: “Yes, it is looking positive.”

Although Boxing Day will likely come too soon for Armstrong, Saints then face a busy run-in to 2022 with Tottenham Hotspur visiting St Mary’s on Tuesday, December 28, before Newcastle come to town on Sunday, January 2.

The FA Cup third round could also be Armstrong’s potential reintroduction, as Saints visit Swansea on Saturday, January 8.

His first start of the 2021-22 season came in cup competition, when Saints visited Stamford Bridge at the end of October in the EFL Cup.

As important as getting him back, the next task for Saints' medical department will be ensuring there is not a costly repeat of the same concern again.