Cyle Larin mimicks Ross Stewart's comments before hosting Derby County

Southampton forward Cyle Larin emphasises the upcoming Derby game by acknowledging that a slip could make all their previous promotion efforts worthless.

Southampton continue their promotion mission as they line up for the third time in a week. Having overcome Arsenal in the FA Cup and Wrexham in the playoff decider, the upcoming game against Derby is no less than another six‑pointer.

Unsurprisingly, Southampton will want to replicate much of what they did to dominate Wrexham. In that regard, forward Cyle Larin has taken the lead as he mimics Ross Stewart’s recent comments.

Stewart had urged Southampton to end their awful streak of dropping points after Cup victories. Given that it worked wonders against Wrexham, Cyle Larin has come forward with an even blunter admission ahead of the Derby contest.

As quoted by the Daily Echo, Larin said: “Nobody will remember what we did in these games if we don’t put out a good performance in the next game.”

Larin makes blunt admission on non-negotiable promotion dream

Since Southampton’s relegation was confirmed on 6th April 2025, the common dream of the club faithful has been to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. The 2025/26 campaign didn’t start that way, but the dream remained unchanged.

There’s no denying that Tonda Eckert’s leadership has helped Southampton pull off an incredible second‑half turnaround. Having lifted the club from 21st to 6th, the Saints have achieved the near impossible.

However, Cyle Larin acknowledges that the task is far from done. Despite all the brilliant wins and an active 16‑game unbeaten streak, the celebrations will lose their fervour if Southampton miss out on promotion.

Perhaps this realisation drives the forward’s admission that the upcoming game always holds more importance for the Saints than admiring past form. In fact, Larin’s claim makes even more sense when analysed from his individual perspective.

Notably, the 30‑year‑old’s Southampton stint is his second temporary spell this season after an underwhelming loan in the Eredivisie. Coming off a failed spell with Feyenoord, it’s more important than ever for Larin to make the most of this opportunity and take the next step in his career.

Cyle Larin’s five-goal contributions in ten Championship appearances have been impressive so far. But the loanee needs to continue his blistering form to make his stay at St. Mary’s permanent and enjoy Premier League action with Southampton.

Southampton can’t miss against Derby County

Cyle Larin’s “one game at a time” focus places all the emphasis on the upcoming tie against Derby County. And rightly so, given the Rams have plenty of reasons to disrupt Southampton’s playoff charge.

Notably, Derby County sits close to Southampton in the table. The gap between the two playoff rivals is so slim that a Rams win could see them draw level with the Saints on 66 points.

What makes this possibility realistic is Derby’s impressive recent form. While they haven’t matched Southampton’s 16‑game unbeaten run, the Rams have produced convincing performances against league leaders Coventry, Stoke City, Birmingham, and Portsmouth.

However, Southampton have an added advantage heading into the home matchday. With three of Derby’s in‑form forwards, Ben Brereton Díaz, Patrick Agyemang, and Rhian Brewster, all unavailable, the Saints cannot afford to miss this opportunity to harm the Rams.

If Southampton continue their winning ways, they could narrow the playoff race further. A win would take them to 69 points and leave Derby on 63, potentially eliminating the Rams from playoff contention.

Overall, the matchday stakes for Southampton are pretty clear. The Saints will want to go all out to get the better of Derby in this six‑pointer and march on with their Premier League mission.