Eckert looks ahead to "massive" Boro test
Tonda Eckert is keen to emphasise the importance of his Southampton side producing a positive performance at Middlesbrough on Sunday (3pm GMT).
Boro sat five points clear of the play-off places in mid-December, but a dismal festive period has seen them take just one point from their four games since, scoring only one goal in that time.
The Teessiders dropped out of the top two on New Year’s Day, as their loss of form continued with a 1-0 defeat at Derby, but Eckert is keen to stress his focus is solely on Saints, as the pressure builds on Boro.
Speaking after his side’s goalless draw with Millwall, the head coach said the value of that point will become clearer after Saints’ trip to the Riverside Stadium.
“I just said to the boys that if you draw a game, it always depends so much on the game that comes up after, so for us this game is massive, such an important one, and we will do everything to come away with the three points,” Eckert said.
“It’s down to us in the end. I think that [Boro’s loss of form] is not so much the performance, because I think they’ve been performing, also in the last games, it’s just the results didn’t come.
“I think that’s very different. We’ve watched their games, they’re still playing very good football, so it’ll be a tough match for us, but obviously we go there for three points, and it depends on our performance.”
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