Midfielder Mason Mount is hoping a winning experience in a play-off format already in his short career will stand him in good stead for what is to come.
Derby County host Leeds United over two-legs in the Sky Bet Championship's Play-Off Semi-Finals as they battle to secure a place at Wembley for a shot at a position in the Premier League next season.
Mount, who is on a season-long loan from Chelsea, has already experienced the thrills of a play-off match albeit in different circumstances.
Last season, whilst on loan at Vitesse Arnhem in Holland, the 20-year-old starred in their qualification for the Europa League.
He netted a hat-trick away at Den Haag in the first-leg, whilst he scored another in the second-leg. That set up a final against Utrecht FC where he again scored and helped them to qualification glory.
Mount is now hoping that experience will help him for the upcoming games against the Whites.
“We had play-offs last season to get into the Europa League and we won,” he told RamsTV. “To have a winning experience in the play-offs is good going into this one, but I think it is totally different.
“The physicality and the tempo in which the game will be played is going to be higher but I am ready for that and all the boys are ready for that.
“I got a hat-trick in the away game then got another goal in the home game so it was a great experience for me. That first experience for me in a play-offs, a game that means a lot for the club.”
The Rams have been in good form in front of their own supporters in recent fixtures. Since the last international break, Derby have scored 15 goals in four games.
Six against Rotherham United was followed up with four against Bolton Wanderers.
It was a dramatic finish against Queens Park Rangers, where the Rams netted two in injury-time to win, whilst the win against West Bromwich Albion proved Frank Lampard’s side have momentum heading into the play-offs.
The game against West Brom showed the Rams’ bottle and Mount believes that experience will help Derby going into the play-off fixtures.
“It was a massive game, the fans helped us throughout the game,” he said. “It is tough when you are 1-0 up then they equalise and you know you have to win the game and you are thinking there is not much time left.
“We stuck at it and we have our way of playing and we are always going to stick at that. Hopefully that can win us the game.
“It will be an unbelievable atmosphere on Saturday. The fans are going to be behind us for the whole game and hopefully we can score some goals for them.”
