Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes hopes victory over Dundee United on Saturday can start adding up to a top six berth.
The Rugby Park men sit 11th in the table with nine games remaining before the split – but the gaffer has done the numbers and insists a run similar to last term will give them a decent chance of claiming a top half finish.
Killie had a strong second half of the season last term as they eventually picked up fourth spot and a Europa League berth, but they’ve been hugely inconsistent this time around.
But with a congested table, despite heading into the weekend occupying the relegation play-off spot, they sit just five points adrift of sixth place.
McInnes said: “It feels like there’s a lot on the game, and there is at this stage of the season with nine games to go before the split. There’s a realisation that if we’re going to be a top six team then we really have to get going.
“It’s important that the players remain positive. We’re only two wins shy of where we were last season but at this stage we went on a brilliant run.
“I think we got 18 points from the last nine games and we feel we have to do something similar to get a chance of top six and I think Saturday presents itself with the chance for the first three points.”
He added: “If we can win on Saturday, we don’t play for another two weeks but that next one, we’ll all feel more optimistic going into that one.
“Getting wins, getting confidence and getting momentum at this stage of the season is going to be really important. And that’s the same for any team – you see how tight the Premiership is. Between us and Hibs there’s five points so a couple of wins make a huge difference.”
Killie were without seven first team players in Saturday’s 3-2 loss away to Hearts and McInnes revealed the injury list won’t be reducing by much ahead of United’s visit, saying: “Brad Lyons has done a bit of work and he’ll be back. Rory (McKenzie) is touch and go, we’ve not been able to get him back onto the pitch yet.
“Matty (Kennedy) is still not there for us, it’s taking that wee bit longer than we would have hoped but he’s stepped up his work. We’re getting through that last stage of him to get back into full training.”
With the transfer window closing on Monday, McInnes confessed the amount of folk on the treatment table could lead to them making late signings, commenting: “I think you go into the window and you’d like to do something. With the injuries it’s vitally important to do something if we can. If everyone was fit, I’d not be looking to do much at all.”
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