After a hard-fought 0-0 cup draw with Blackburn last week, where Radhi Jaïdi's side fielded four Under-18s players, this week's task is an equally challenging Premier League 2 trip to Brighton.
The Amex Stadium will host the tie, as Southampton's Under-23s enter their final five games of the league season intent on finishing the campaign stronger than they started it.
Explaining that the confidence in camp is particularly high after a string of good results, Jaïdi feels that his youngsters are well positioned to deliver another credible performance on Monday evening.
"We had a long journey back from Blackburn, and on reflection, the performance was pretty pleasing," the Under-23s coach commented.
"We wanted to get the boys back together this week, because you can feel the energy and the spirit. The atmosphere around them is positive. Training has been good.
"The younger boys have performed well, they've sent a message to Martin [Hunter] and myself. We want to give them more opportunities, but also keep the balance in the team and give the right personnel game time.
"We expect Brighton to play out from the back, an attacking team who will be dangerous in the final third.
"We're continuing to work hard on improvement, but related to the last couple of games, momentum is key. We'll try to finish on a high, that's our aim, and what the players should be thinking about."
Share this: