SARACENS are likely to be spurred on by their biggest crowd of the season when they face Harlequins in their penultimate Guinness Premiership match at Vicarage Road on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

The Men in Black will have the vociferous backing of more than 10,000 fans for the must-win game as they aim to put one foot firmly in the end-of-season play-offs.

Director of rugby Alan Gaffney says his side must beat Quins and then Worcester next week if they are to cement a place in the top four and fend off the challenge of Wasps, who are clinging to Sarries' coat-tails in fifth spot, two points behind.

Relegation-threatened Northampton Saints could do Saracens a huge favour by overcoming the odds and beating Wasps at Adams Park on Sunday while Bristol, who lead Sarries by two points in third, face pace-setters Leicester on Tuesday night.

Gaffney, however, is looking no further than his own side's task against Quins, a side he has a lot of time for.

"I think they've had a fantastic year and they, along with us and a few others, were tipped for relegation by some critics at the start of the season," said the Aussie. "Quins have set themselves a top-six finish and won't want to be sitting off the pace."

Gaffney has made several changes to his starting line-up in the wake of the Wasps defeat. Kevin Sorrell returns at outside centre while Rodd Penney is moved to the left wing in place of hamstring victim Kameli Ratuvou, who will be available for the Worcester game along with other long-term absentees Richard Haughton and Cobus Visagie.

Prop Kevin Yates is preferred to Nick Lloyd, Shane Byrne makes way for Matt Cairns and flankers Richard Hill and Kris Chesney return while Hugh Vyvyan takes his place at lock instead of Iain Fullarton.

"There is no more room for error and it will be a difficult game," added Gaffney. "There is a hell of a lot at stake for us and it's extremely important we win this week. If we do, we'll be in a decent position but I expect things to go to the wire."

Saracens: Castaignede, Scarbrough, Sorrell, Farrell, Penney, Jackson, de Kock; Yates, Cairns, C Johnston, Vyvyan, Raiwalui (cpt), Chesney, Hill, Skirving. Replacements: Ongaro, Mercey, Gustard, Seymour, Rauluni, Powell, de Vedia.