ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon has challenged his midfielders to win the on-ball battle against West Coast and protect its defence from the Eagles' forward press.

Lyon said trying to break the five-game winning streak of the visitors would be the perfect measure of how much the Saints had improved after winning five of their past six games.

While the defence would be under pressure, it was the midfield that was key to victory. ''It doesn't matter, big defenders, short defenders - it's about the pressure up the field,'' he said yesterday.

''If they're walking out of stoppages and walking out of our front half, which has been a bit of a problem earlier in the year, but one we've sort of got on top of in the last month, it doesn't matter who you play down there.

''I could go and get [former Carlton great] Stephen Silvagni and he wouldn't stop them. It's about the pressure up the field.''

Lyon said he believed the return to fitness and form of several senior Eagles was the catalyst for the form turnaround in last year's wooden spooner.

He said the Saints, after winning only one of their first seven games in a stunning free-fall down the ladder, would embrace their growing opportunities to keep their season alive.

''The Eagles are flying, excuse the pun,'' he said.

''This is an opportunity to see, against a team that's in the top four in the competition, where we sit. That's how we're viewing it.

''When teams are both in form and converging on Etihad on a Saturday night, it's a pretty exciting time.'' WEST AUSTRALIAN