Jan Bednarek demands more as he nears Southampton milestone

The Polish international is already the player at Southampton with the most appearances for the club, and he now sits three games away from reaching 200.

However, for Bednarek, his 200th Saints game will be "just another match" in a season where promotion is the aim.

"For me, it will be great to reach 200 appearances for the club, especially this club," he told the Daily Echo.

"It will fill me and my family with pride. But it will be just another game where we have to win three points. That is what I will be focused on."

Bednarek's recent outings for Saints have seen him battle a different challenge. The 27 year old has been one of the Saints players battling through illness.

While a suspected bout of E. Coli saw midfielder Flynn Downes miss games, Bednarek managed 45 minutes against Norwich before being withdrawn through his own sickness concern.

“There was nothing nice about playing through illness. Not only was I fighting against the opposition, but also with myself.

“It was tough. Knowing that Stevo is back meant it was the right thing for him to go to centre back.

“That’s a position where you need to be at 100 per cent and I wasn’t at 100 per cent. I didn’t feel well.

“With the amount of games we play you need to be clever and sensible with what you are doing.

“I want to play every game. Whether that is right or not you just want to be on the pitch to help the team as much as you can.

“I tried to get through it, but I only had power for 45 minutes. I took the decision that it was the right time to change.”

Club captain Jack Stephens is vying for a place back in the first team following his return from injury.

The 29 year old started last weekend's FA Cup win over Walsall alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis as Bednarek sat the game out.

Despite knowing that Stephens is gunning for a starting spot, Bednarek insists he will not change what he has been doing so far this season.

“Every game I perform at my highest level. I try to be at 100 per cent," he continued.

“I’m not going to try to do something that I’m not capable of. I’m trying to focus on playing well for the team.”

The blossoming partnership between Bednarek and on-loan Manchester City defender Harwood-Bellis has been enjoyable to watch.

In 18 games alongside each other, the duo have kept seven clean sheets and helped Southampton improve defensively.

But, as Bednarek points out, the uptick in their defensive performances comes down to more than their performances alone.

“The more you play together the easier it becomes because your understanding (of each other) gets better.

“It’s great to play with Taylor. He is a young player with a lot of talent. But I have to say it’s easier when you work well together as a whole group.

“Then it becomes easier to anticipate the game. You can read what is going to happen - which has helped us a lot."

He continued: "We are more aggressive as a team. It was never about the back four or the goalkeeper.

“It was about how we react as a team, how we press the ball and how much we want to defend.

“It has changed a lot. When we lose the ball the reaction is great. Everyone is sprinting back to the goal.

“We are willing to fight and be aggressive as a group. Without fight there is nothing in football.

"We have to be in the right mindset - that has made the difference from the start of the season.”

Even with the improvements, and the fact Saints are unbeaten in 19 games, Bednarek still wants more.

Southampton are still three points behind second-place Ipswich Town, who currently occupy the automatic promotion spot Russell Martin's men are striving towards. 

Bednarek points out that a player must be willing to improve, something Martin helps them do by always demanding more.

“We are having a good spell but it’s not enough for us. We have to keep being hungry and demanding that each other perform better.

"That’s what we have to do because we are not where we want to be. We are still third, we are not in the top two.

“There is still a long way to go as a team and as a group. We are going in the right direction, we just need to keep going."

Martin, a defender during his playing career, has expressed his fondness for working with Bednarek.

Those feelings are mirrored by the 54-time Poland international: "He is a great manager and a great person. He is the type of person who always wants you to be better.

“He demands a lot from players. He has the right balance of being a nice guy who smiles and jokes, but when it is time to work he is focused on the task.

“The way he wants us to play is also very enjoyable. It isn’t an easy way to play, but I think it’s the right way.

“There was a tough moment at the start of the season, but he kept believing in us and encouraged us.

“It’s all about wanting to listen, learn and take some criticism positively. It’s important to understand when someone is trying to tell you stuff.

“You need to learn. That is what we have to do as a football player - have a willingness to always learn and improve. 

“Especially when you are working with coaches who want to teach you to be better. That is the right thing to do.

“From the start of the season to now we have improved a lot, but, as a group, we understand that it is not enough."