Fraser: Leeds test provides play-off inspiration
Ryan Fraser believes Southampton’s trip to Leeds on Saturday will act as the perfect preparation for the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
Leeds will have automatic promotion in their hands if Ipswich lose at Coventry on Tuesday night, but even if Ipswich win, Saints’ final day hosts will still be in the race for the top two.
That will mean a packed Elland Road and an electric atmosphere, which Fraser feels should sharpen Saints’ focus for the play-offs.
“Leeds will be a great test for us, because that atmosphere is going to be incredible,” he said, speaking after Saints’ home defeat to Stoke.
“It will give us some inspiration for the play-off games, because the atmosphere’s going to be incredible in that as well, so there’s a lot of learning curve from the next game.
“These [play-off] games, we can’t get beat. We need to win, we need to do everything we can for the club, the staff, everyone, to win those games.
“It might be hard right now, but all the players need have a look at ourselves and everyone needs to think ‘what am I going to bring to the next four weeks?’, come together as a team and give our all, finding a way to win a game.
“In training this week it’s going to be competitive. Everyone’s going to be fighting for their place, and I think it’ll be a really good feeling. You want to have the best version of yourself so the manager has to pick you for the play-offs.”