Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes believes his side can put together the results to secure a top-six place in the Premiership but stressed how tough the league competition is.
The Rugby Park side currently sit eighth in the table with 28 points, three points off sixth place with eight games to play before the split.
However, only nine points separate fourth-placed Aberdeen and eleventh-placed Ross County, who currently occupy the relegation play-off spot.
The run-in to the split from now starts with a home game against St Johnstone on Saturday and McInnes is targeting a victory with the belief that his side can get the results they need in the weeks to come.
“We still feel there’s enough wins in us to get a top six, and that’s what we’re working towards,” the Kilmarnock boss said.
“The motivation is high for us to try and be that.
“I think we’re only three points off sixth place at the minute, but equally there’s about another four or five teams that are saying something similar.
“So we are in the mix with so many other teams, but we’re only trying to focus on ourselves and try and deal with our own business at this stage of the season.
“And we feel as a squad that there are enough wins in us to try and get that top-six spot.”
The Ayrshire club had a season to remember last year, finishing in fourth and earning a Conference League place.
That extra demand from European games, along with a raft of injuries and disciplinary issues meant that the team hasn’t hit the same heights this season. McInnes conceded that and said that a lot of pieces had to fall into place for clubs of Kilmarnock’s size.
“For a club like us to finish fourth like we did last season and get in to Europe, there’s factors [that need to be in your favour],” he said.
“You need to play well but you also need a healthy squad.
“For any season, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen, with the finances they have got, should be in the top six along with the Old Firm.
“So there’s five spaces for your top six.
“It should be, unless these clubs aren’t doing their work right, it should be that.
“Everybody else is jostling and fighting for what should be that spot. We were there last season and I do think we got the benefit of a healthy and settled squad.
“I think we recruited well and got a good thing going, and this season we’ve kind of suffered a wee bit because of that. There was European involvement at the start but I said to myself that we could always catch up.
“Injuries haven’t helped much but we’re still playing catch-up.
“Dundee United have done what we did last season and look nailed on to get a top six spot but we’ve not given up.”
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