Leeds United winger on must win Southampton game as youngsters prepare to lead the way for seniors

The Under 21s travel to face the Saints on Friday for a 7pm kick-off, ahead of the Premier League basement clash at Elland Road the following day. At senior level, Leeds are out to prevent Saturday's visitors from leapfrogging them and leaving them rooted to the bottom of the English top flight.

For Sean McGurk and his team-mates, victory over the side in first place in Premier League 2's second tier would take them top and push them a little closer to promotion.

One of the key messages in recent weeks, as the 21s struggled for victories prior to a vital win over Aston Villa on Monday night, was game management. McGurk, who came off the bench to win the Elland Road meeting with Villa, says that was the focus for coaches Michael Skubala and Michal Pujdak before they linked up with the first team following Jesse Marsch's sacking.

"The last couple of games have been tough, we haven't had the results we've wanted," McGurk told LUTV.

"After the break we came back and we've struggled for points. To get the win when we haven't had one for a few games is big.

"I think the coaches, Puj and Skubes before they went up have been trying to drill into us that we've got to get better at managing games. Sometimes you have to go long with five minutes to go or just manage games. Sometimes that's the difference between the 21s level compared to the first team. I think we're learning and we've just got to push on now."

McGurk, who appeared to injure himself in the act of scoring Monday's winner but confirmed after the game that he was 'all good,' admits that adversity such as that experienced by the side since returning from the World Cup break is part of development for youngsters but results will be key from now to the end of the season.

"Every game we go into we want to win, obviously, but there is that part of development that you've got to experience losing games and conceding late goals and I think the more games we play together and keep going then we should be up there come the end of the season," he said.

They're up there right now, a point behind league-leading Saints, giving Friday's game an importance that might not quite rival Saturday's game but will certainly motivate the young Whites.

"I think Friday's massive," said McGurk

"Obviously they're top of the league and if we can go there and get the win we go top, so there's no shying away from that. We need to go there and win."