Steve Clarke has been handed a major boost ahead of this summer's European Championships.

Southampton have issued an update on the fitness of Scotland attacker Stuart Armstrong.

The 32-year-old sustained a serious-looking injury during his side's 2-1 defeat to Cardiff on Saturday afternoon. The former Celtic and Dundee United player was stretchered off the field, with the game deep into stoppage time in the Welsh capital.

This sparked major concerns that Scotland would be without yet another key player for Euro 2024, with Nathan Patterson and Aaron Hickey's inclusions looking increasingly doubtful.

However, Russell Martin insists the injury isn't as bad as first fear for Armstrong, and that he has a 'realistic' chance of making this summer's competition.

“It’s his quad, it’s a muscle injury,” the Saints boss confirmed. “We’ll do everything we can to get him fit for the EUROs for Scotland. I think he has a big chance for that, I don’t think he has any chance of playing for us really.”

“He has a big hope of getting in the Scotland squad because he’s been fantastic for them and for us this season and has been in every squad, and I think there’s a realistic chance with the injury he has to be fit for that.

“So we will do everything we can as a football club to help him get there. It wasn’t as serious as we all feared but it is serious enough to keep him out for a period of time now where he can’t help us unfortunately.”

READ MORE: The Celtic player who jinxed Joe Hart as champions eye up the final straight

Meanwhile, given that the goalkeeper ended up hitting a penalty before Alistair Johnston, it was probably a fair indication that the Canadian wasn’t all that keen to step up to the spot during Saturday’s dramatic shootout victory for Celtic over Aberdeen.

As it transpired, the right back still had to take one, and his calm finish belied the nerves he later revealed he was feeling at the time. He doesn’t blame Joe Hart though for missing his own penalty and subsequently putting him through the mill, but rather, Cameron Carter-Vickers for jinxing his colleague with his over confidence.