Southampton fans, get ready to roar—boss Tonda Eckert has dropped a major confidence boost ahead of the Championship play-offs: the Saints are aiming to be at "full strength" for the high-stakes showdown against Middlesbrough.

Eckert revealed he's "quite positive" that key defenders Jack Stephens and midfielder Kuryu Matsuki will rejoin the squad, giving Southampton a timely lift as they chase promotion. Club captain Stephens has been sidelined since April's clash with Bristol City, while the 23-year-old Japan youth international Matsuki—who arrived in the summer—has missed the last two matches against Ipswich Town and Preston North End. When asked if Matsuki had returned to training, Eckert offered a succinct but promising "yeah."

The good news doesn't stop there. Midfielder Flynn Downes is back after serving a three-match ban, which kept him out of the FA Cup semi-final and the final two league games. Eckert is buzzing about his return, saying, "I still have a very clear opinion on the suspension, but that's gone now. I'm sure he'll be fully there and play a big part in what's coming—it definitely doesn't hurt to have him back."

Eckert emphasized Downes' growing form before the suspension: "Flynn, in the weeks before, had only been getting better and better game after game. He'll be as fresh as you can potentially be at this part of the season, and I think he'll play a big role for us."

With the play-offs heating up, Southampton first travel to Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on Saturday, before hosting the second leg at St Mary's on Tuesday. For a squad that's been battling injuries and suspensions, this boost in depth could be the game-changer they need to secure a spot in the final—and ultimately, a return to the Premier League.