Southampton captain Maya Yoshida has urged his team-mates to be “physically, mentally and tactically” ready to face Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend.
The Saints travel across the South coast next Saturday on the back of a stunning 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur before the international break.
Despite that huge triumph, Southampton remain just two points above the relegation zone and Yoshida has stressed that the club hasn’t survived yet.
We are still not safe, that’s for sure. It’s going to be really crucial when we play Brighton, so we have to make sure we are ready for that game physically, mentally and tactically. If we didn’t get a point against Tottenham, then it would have been a really long and difficult three-week break. It was crucial to get the three points because Cardiff, Newcastle and Brighton all won before the break.
Watford were meant to be Southampton’s opponents after that Spurs victory but their involvement in the FA Cup Quarter-Finals and a two-week international break means Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side will have had three weeks off.
Brighton secured a place in the FA Cup Semi-Finals by beating Millwall on penalties last weekend and are currently three points ahead of the Saints in the Premier League, with a game in hand.
After next weekend’s clash there will be just seven games to go and Yoshida, who is no secret to relegation battles, looks to be ready to fight for the club’s top-flight status.
