Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is delighted his players have finally been able to show some of their best form before the end of the season.

An inconsistent campaign has left the Reds with only an outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League and only a run of six successive victories – their best sequence in over a year – has put them in that position.

“We play a really bad season, I think everyone in this room agrees, and now we have 62 points. It is strange,” said Klopp ahead of Monday’s trip to Leicester.

“There is still quality in the boys. I am really happy we could show up a little bit. Where it will end up it’s really not about that.

“I know everyone wants to go to Champions League, I understand that 100 per cent as that’s what I want, it is just not really likely, that is the situation we created.

“But to show up and show again we are able to do special things I am really happy about.

“Winning six games in a row is special and if it was easy we would have done it much more often, other teams would have done it much more often.

“Adding the seventh is even more difficult but eight and nine really difficult because it is football and other teams prepare well for the games and they have their own targets but this part of the season gave us a clear sign we are still there.

“Not everything is bad about us and around us. We had a bad season but let’s see what we can make of it.”

Part of Liverpool’s problem has been their woeful away record, which is only the ninth-best heading into the weekend.

It has been boosted by recent wins at Leeds and West Ham which has given Klopp’s side the opportunity to win a third in a row away from home for the first time this season at Leicester.

“Our away record is still not brilliant. This season I think we are third or fourth (they are second before this weekend) in the home table and ‘somewhere’ in the away table so it is still not great,” added Klopp.

“But we had that discussion years ago, early when I came here, that at home we created something like a fortress but away we were not a top-six or top-four team at that time and we realised it is not that difficult, the difference is not as big as we might think.

“But there is a difference and we have to make sure we are ready for that. We just were not consistent enough, we needed too much help from the outside in moments this season and didn’t use it then always. That’s why we are in the position we are in.”

While the lack of Champions League football will be financially damaging next season Klopp is confident it will not impact his transfer plans.

“It is not about that. When I talk to a player – if I am allowed, which is rarely the case – but you realise in his eye that he has already clarified (the situation),” he said.

“We can’t tell anyone in the moment that we will definitely be in the Champions League next year so if we are talking to him then he already knows.

“It is obvious that we have to fight for being part of the Champions League and trophies and if you want to be part of that you are more than welcome.

“There is only one thing we can’t guarantee this year and that is Champions League football but all the rest is still the same, it is a fantastic football club.

“It is still Liverpool, we are really attractive for a lot of players and we should not forget that and that’s why I’m not concerned about that factor.

“Everything is more difficult without the Champions League, that is how it is especially in the long term, so we should not do these kind of things more often but apart from that it is absolutely OK the situation we are in.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche believes his side have got their “edge” back at just the right time.

A surprise 5-1 win at Brighton on Monday has raised hopes of escaping relegation and he knows that ability to find something extra will be crucial as they host Premier League leaders and treble-chasers Manchester City.

Dyche took over a side at the end of January that had lost eight of nine matches but after the initial bounce a new manager occasionally brings, beating Arsenal and Leeds in his first three games, results tailed off again.

The team had registered just one win in 11 before victory over the Seagulls but Dyche thinks that result – after encouraging signs in their previous outing in a 2-2 draw at Leicester – shows that much sought-after X-factor is returning.

“I looked at some of the performances, the body language, intent and meaning behind the performance and in some way, I thought some things were lacking,” he said.

“We’ve adjusted that side of it, the purposefulness of the side, some of the quality moments, some of the defensive side but the actual feel of the performance and mentality of the performance has grown.

“Watching the intent, body language and desire of a team, it’s hard to explain, but I know it when I see it, I’ve been in the game all my life.

“You get stats – our team and their team – and it can look like there’s nothing in it, but there’s a big difference in body language intent and desire from those stats.

“Compared to some of the performances since I got here, that kind of edge has improved.”

Everton’s win over Brighton was a huge morale boost but facing City, even at Goodison Park, is a daunting task for a side who probably require at least one more win from their remaining three games to extend their top-flight status into a 70th successive season.

And while time is running out to save themselves, as they did on the penultimate game of last season, Dyche is keen to change the view on the significance which has been placed on coming good when it is needed at the end of a campaign.

“The thing I’m trying to get to here is that every single game should matter. Every single game should be the most important one. We are trying to build that momentum,” he added.

“I’ve never believed in ‘the business end of the season’. The first game should be the business end of the season because that might be the one that wins you a title, gets you promoted or keeps you in a division.

“If you take big games along the way then fantastic – it’s great for you, great for the team, great for the prowess of the club and the badge, great for everything.

“But that should be the mentality on day one, not just because you’re playing Man City and it’s near the end of a season.

“We are trying to adjust that, it is a longer-term thing, but that is my belief. Of course it is a fantastic occasion to take on one of the biggest teams in terms of winning trophies, but that doesn’t make it easier.”

Pepe Reina saved three penalties and his own reputation as Liverpool won a thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham on this day in 2006.

Reina almost threw the cup away in normal time at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium with mistakes which gifted the Hammers two goals.

But he was the hero of the shoot-out, saving from Bobby Zamora, Paul Konchesky and Anton Ferdinand to break the gallant Hammers’ hearts.

Liverpool’s seventh FA Cup win mirrored the result which saw them crowned champions of Europe in Istanbul 12 months earlier, and – just like against AC Milan – Reina only had his shot at glory thanks to another superhuman effort from Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool skipper Gerrard equalised twice – the second a 30-yard thunderbolt in injury-time – and then scored his penalty despite suffering cramp in the closing minutes of the game.

The 125th FA Cup final was the best in years, and certainly the most exciting since Manchester United’s 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace in 1990.

For a long time, the magic of the cup looked like giving West Ham another FA Cup triumph in the year former managers Ron Greenwood and John Lyall died.

They were two goals ahead inside half an hour and were leading as the stadium announcer called for four minutes to be added on at the end of normal time.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez praised Liverpool heroes Gerrard and Reina, but insisted his FA Cup triumph was a team effort.

“You must give the credit to all my players. A lot of them had cramps after 62 games this season, but they kept going to the end,” he said.

“We know about the quality of Steve. He will get lots of credit, but I prefer to talk about my team and our supporters, who were like an extra player.

“Maybe we like to do it the difficult way, but it’s not good for the heart. It would be better if we could start by winning and then stay calm.

“It was a fantastic final with two teams fighting really hard. The character of the team can be a key factor for the future because we can be sure we can win these kinds of games.”

Marco Silva said he will seek assurance that Fulham share his ambition before entering into talks over a new contract, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

The Cottagers remain on track for a highest-ever top-flight points tally this campaign, with two wins needed from their final three games to make it a record-breaking year.

Silva’s stock has risen greatly since taking over at Craven Cottage following the team’s relegation to the Sky Bet Championship in 2021, returning them to the Premier League at the first attempt and ensuring a comfortable mid-table finish.

They had briefly looked like challenging for Europe after a 1-0 win at Brighton in February took them sixth, but have dipped after winning only three times in the league since, a run that has in part coincided with the loss of top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic to an eight-game ban.

Mitrovic will return for Saturday’s trip to bottom side Southampton as Fulham seek to cap an historic season.

But with a gulf in resources an obstacle to breaking into the top seven, Silva was asked whether he would need to leave the club in order to fulfil his potential, or fight to try and break the league’s glass ceiling.

“Myself as a manager, always if you do something in one season, you should aim to do better the next season, it’s always like that,” said Silva. “I know that sometimes the high expectation plays against you as well, that is clear.

“My way to be in football is always to try to do something different, try to improve in all aspects of the game, to try to perform better. Of course if you perform better you start to achieve different results and try to improve the results as well.

“We have to be realistic, but at the same time we have to be really ambitious as a football club because the competition will be harder, will be more difficult and we have to prepare ourselves as best as we can.

“We want to improve all aspects of our game and as a club.

“Definitely (ambition will play a part in contract talks). It’s been like that from the first season I joined the club. First season, I knew what in that moment I was going to face, it was a club that was relegated, the situation in the Championship is to try to settle the team and get the best out if the squad that you have.

“The season after we did well in the market, not spending the same amount of money as other clubs but I think we did it really well. Next season we have to do the same, try to improve in all the areas of the squad, and of course match the ambitions of myself and the owner of this club like we did the last two seasons.”

Top-scorer Mitrovic will be available for the first time since being banned for grabbing the referee during Fulham’s FA Cup exit to Manchester United in March.

The striker has been training with the club throughout his suspension and Silva insisted he will be ready to play a part in his side’s final three games.

“I didn’t feel that I really needed to give him a week out of the club to be with the family or to relax a little bit,” said the manager. “He didn’t need it.

“What I saw from him always is him ready to work, it’s a very good sign, a sign that he knew what he is going to face during this long period, but at the same time he knew that he had to work really hard, and he did.

“Now it’s important for us to forget the last eight weeks and all the things that happened. If you compare with everything that happened this season, it’s unbelievable that number of games, but that was the decision and you have to respect it.”

Ryan Mason again reiterated he was ready to become Tottenham head coach on a dramatic day in the search for Antonio Conte’s successor after Julian Nagelsmann was ruled out of the running.

Nagelsmann has been heavily linked with the post since his shock departure from Bayern Munich at the end of March.

The 35-year-old was in the mix for the Spurs job in 2021 before Bayern swooped in at the time.

When Conte left Tottenham soon after Nagelsmann’s dramatic exit from the Bundesliga champions, it was anticipated the German coach would again be in the running for the vacancy at the Premier League club.

Speculation has rumbled on since but, while Tottenham have great respect for Nagelsmann, they will not be meeting or interviewing him for the role and he is not a contender, the PA news agency understands.

Mason remains the current man in post on an acting head coach basis and earlier on Friday listed Eddie Howe as an inspiration after he took the Bournemouth job at the same age of 31.

“I’ve always said I’m ready,” Mason insisted ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.

“I’m ready for this moment. I feel like I can help the club. That’s my general feeling and I’ll stay true to that. That’s been my feeling ever since the club trusted me to take on this responsibility.

“Obviously, you mentioned Eddie Howe and he is an incredible manager. He’s an inspiration.

“I think one, probably not spoken about a great deal as well, is Gary O’Neil. The job that he’s done (at Bournemouth) has gone under the radar a little bit but a young English manager and his first job.”

Last weekend’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace earned Mason a first win during his second stint as Tottenham’s interim boss.

During his first spell in 2021, where he won four of his six Premier League games, the former Spurs midfielder was accused by a section of supporters’ of favouritism towards his old team-mates.

However, having dropped virtual ever-present Eric Dier last Saturday, Mason shut down those claims.

He added: “That’s an absolute myth. I’ve never heard that, but if you’re saying that, it’s not true.

“My job is to pick a team that I feel is best capable of winning a football match. It’s not a case of having friends. That was clear two years ago and that’s clear now.

“I’m in a position where I need to do a job to the best of our abilities with my coaching team.

“We’re professionals so every decision we make is in the best interests of the team and the football club.”

Meanwhile, Tottenham talisman Harry Kane has spent some of the past week discussing the club’s current plight during various interviews and regularly referenced how key values had been lost in recent years.

Kane mentioned how the culture and environment created by old boss Mauricio Pochettino had to be restored in a hint that his future could lie with Spurs despite continuously being linked with a move away.

“I’m happy that I saw him speak out the other day on things that he wants to be in place going forward for this football club because it’s important that our best players drive and push for certain things,” Mason said.

“It’s good. I back him. I think what he said is right.”

Spurs have endured a difficult campaign with Conte and Cristian Stellini leaving, while Fabio Paratici departed his role as managing director of football after being given a worldwide ban for his role in allegations of false accounting at Juventus.

On the pitch, Tottenham failed to go beyond the quarter-final stage in the Champions League, FA Cup or Carabao Cup and can only hope for a sixth-place finish now.

But Mason stated: “We’re a big football club with big players, top players.

“We have a lot to be successful and a lot to be excited about, so I’m not doom and gloom. Definitely not.

“I’m optimistic about this club. I believe in the group. I believe in the club. I believe that there’s many people here that want to make it right and want to put it right and be good.

“Obviously, it’s been a difficult season for us, it has been quite up and down. I think some of it’s probably been self conflict. It’s come from within at times, which probably shouldn’t happen.

“But we’re not in as bad a position as some people might think, we’re in a good position. And hopefully we can kick on and be successful.”

Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United will be an easier sell to prospective signings this summer despite the ongoing uncertainty over the club’s ownership.

Ten Hag admitted it was sometimes difficult to convince players to join United in his first transfer window at the club, even as Casemiro was persuaded to swap Real Madrid for Old Trafford, with Christian Eriksen, Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia the other key signings.

United know they will need to be active again in the coming months, with a goalscorer to take the pressure off Marcus Rashford – an injury doubt to face Wolves on Saturday – a priority along with a midfielder, right-back and goalkeeper.

With the Glazer family still to name a preferred bidder among those hoping to complete a takeover at Old Trafford, a deal which could lead to significant changes in the club’s leadership at board level, there are many questions to be answered but Ten Hag believes he has a clear vision to sell to players.

Champions League football is yet to be secured but with the League Cup in the trophy cabinet and the FA Cup final to come, Ten Hag insisted players will want to come to United regardless.

“I see a big difference in comparison with last year,” he said. “There were a lot of reservations last year when I spoke with players and now many players see the project, what’s going on, the dynamic and the ambition in this project, the quality especially. They are really keen to come, I’ve noticed that.

“It looks like there were a lot of reservations last year, a lot of doubts when we approached players. This year, many quality players really want to come.”

Such conversations will only get even easier if United can lock down fourth place or better. Liverpool’s six-game winning streak, coupled with back-to-back defeats for Ten Hag’s men, has put the pressure on but United’s fate remains in their own hands.

How they handle that pressure will be a test of the progress they have made under the Dutchman in his first season.

“I think in football, particularly top football, it is always a test,” he said. “We can take confidence and take belief because we have proven we’ve beaten the best teams in the world.

“But yes, it’s a test of courage if we can do it because we are in the right position and now we have to finish it. It’s a high demand, so it needs high standards so definitely it needs courage. The players and me need to take responsibility for it, clearly.”

Ten Hag insisted he had given no consideration to dropping David De Gea after the goalkeeper’s error proved decisive in the 1-0 defeat by West Ham last time out.

The incident has led to further speculation that the goalkeeper United look to recruit this summer will not be competition for the Spaniard, but a replacement.

De Gea remains in talks over a new deal at Old Trafford, but may need to accept reduced status as well as wages. However, Ten Hag does not believe the uncertainty has contributed to his loss of form.

“As a top football player you have such circumstances and you have to deal with it,” he said. “Every top football player there’s a high demand. You have to accept it, deal with it and the demand is you have to perform.

“Is that a reason? No I don’t think that’s a reason because David is so experienced. That is not a reason. I can think about a thousand and one reasons but I don’t think that’s the reason.”

Dean Smith has told his Leicester players exactly where they stand after cancelling their day off this week.

The squad were called in on Tuesday after Monday’s 5-3 defeat at Fulham left them third bottom and two points from Premier League safety.

Smith chaired a meeting at the Foxes’ Seagrave training base and believes the squad took any messages on board – but will only get confirmation when they host Liverpool on Monday.

“It was due to be a day off but I don’t like things lingering. We came in and sorted it. I thought it went well, the proof will be on Monday,” he said.

“I’ve always been brought up in this game that you can’t change what’s happened, what you can do it learn from it and correct it and move on quickly.

“There’s no point us worrying about the Fulham game for two or three more days,

“I wanted to get it put to bed. I knew very quickly when I watched the game back what the errors were for the goals and the chances that we conceded. It was a case of making sure we got that out there very quickly and spoke to the players and then we could move on from there.

“I did the talking and told them what I expected in certain situations of the Fulham game, what we needed to do better and what we will do better going forward.”

Meanwhile, Smith insists Leicester cannot be written off in their fight for survival with just three games left.

He said: “We were written off six games ago and all of a sudden Leeds and Everton were written off and now Everton aren’t. The game can change very quickly.

“Monday was our Boomtown Rats (I Don’t Like Mondays) day, next time it will be someone else.

“My job is to rationalise what happened. We came in the following day so we could put the game to bed and rationalise it. The players understand what happened and the others coaches’ thoughts and we’ve moved on.

“It was a blow, only after this game on Monday will we know how big a blow it was. You can’t change it but what you can do is correct it and move forward.”

Julen Lopetegui is ready to axe any player keen to leave Wolves and only wants those dedicated to the cause.

The former Spain boss has guided the club to safety with three games left and has immediately turned his attention to rebuilding at Molineux.

Adama Traore, Diego Costa and Joao Moutinho are out of contract in the summer while Wolves have a two-year option on Nelson Semedo’s deal which ends next month and Raul Jimenez and Ruben Neves have a year left.

Lopetegui will meet with chairman Jeff Shi to discuss the future and only wants players fully committed to the club.

“From when I arrived here I think my opinion about the commitment in the club, all the people around the club and the players was fantastic for me,” he said.

“But of course you have to analyse the complete year and we have to take decisions to try to improve our squad and have players that want to be here.

“For me that’s very important. You have to stay where you want to be. If not it doesn’t matter what your name is. For me this is key in this situation.

“We are going to try to analyse all of these situations but the place to analyse this is inside.

“The players that want to stay here are important. I want players that are happy here, not players who are thinking they are here to go to another place.

“That doesn’t work in football. After, you are going to see what happens but you have to be happy to be here at Wolves, playing for Wolves, trying to improve Wolves.

“I want these kind of players.”

Wolves go to Manchester United on Saturday before hosting Everton and travelling to Arsenal on the final day.

They are 10 points clear of the drop zone but, despite being safe, Lopetegui is aware they must protect the integrity of the league with Arsenal still in with a chance of the title, United fighting for the top four and Everton not yet safe.

“We have to do the same thing we would want other teams to do if we were competing,” he added.

“Fortunately now we achieved our aims but there are a lot of teams still playing and fighting for their achievements so we have to be aware of that and do our best.”

Frank Lampard will look to give teenager Lewis Hall a chance in Chelsea’s first team during the final weeks of the season.

The academy graduate has made five Premier League appearances this campaign, all during the injury crisis that hit then manager Graham Potter’s squad either side of the World Cup.

He was deployed as an emergency left-back during the 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City in January but has not been given a run-out since starting the goalless draw with Liverpool at Anfield two weeks later.

Lampard, who did not work with the 18-year-old during his first spell as Chelsea manager, again finds himself with players missing for the run-in, with Reece James and Mason Mount out for the season and Ben Chilwell, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella all absent for Saturday’s game against Nottingham Forest.

The interim manager also confirmed that England Under-20 coach Ian Foster will not be able to include Hall in his squad for the upcoming World Cup in Argentina, increasing the likelihood of his involvement in Chelsea’s final four games.

“Lewis has a chance,” said Lampard. “I was tempted to put him on last week (in the 3-1 win against Bournemouth), but the nature of the game, the experience of Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta) was more suitable at that point. I’ll view this game on its merits as well but I’ve been really impressed by his training.

“He’s a very good player, really talented player. If anything I think he needs to come out of himself that bit more, because he should really trust how good he is and feel at home with the group.

“In games I’ve watched from afar – I didn’t get to work with Lewis before, he was a bit younger – but I’ve been really impressed and he hasn’t dampened that at all. He’s in the running for the last four games to be involved.”

Chelsea have a chance to impact the fortunes of teams at both ends of the table during the run-in, starting with the visit of Steve Cooper’s Forest to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

If Lampard can lead the team to its first home victory since early March it will hand a boost to his former side Everton’s hopes of beating the drop, with the two relegation-battlers separated by only a point just outside the bottom three.

“It’s a really big test like (Forest) have given big teams recently; Liverpool, Man United, winning against  Southampton and Brighton,” said Lampard. “You have to give them complete respect, a strong squad, strong coach, effective way of playing.

“They’ve not changed but evolved over the season in their style, a lot of speed on the counter attack, threatening in terms of set pieces. Which is fair play because they’re fighting for everything.”

After Forest are games against league-leaders Manchester City, who cannot afford to drop points with Arsenal chasing them down, and against Champions League chasers Manchester United and Newcastle.

Saturday’s game will be a chance to end a run of six home matches without a win in all competitions, with the team having not tasted success at Stamford Bridge since beating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on March 7.

“If (home) form has not been great since I’ve been here and preceding that, it’s very normal and human that can build up some nervousness amongst players and staff,” said Lampard.

“The only way through that is to dig in and try and do the right things. I’ve been there as a player. That’s what the players have to do, simple as that.

“The crowd will go with them and with that you can become a bit of a force. We’re obviously striving for that.”

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz will prepare for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup scheduled for June 24-July 16 in the USA and Canada with two friendlies against Qatar and Jordan on June 15^th and June 19^th, respectively, at the Wiener Neustadt Ergo Arena in Austria.

The Reggae Boyz last faced Qatar on August 26^th last year, playing out a 1-1 draw while this will be the first time Jamaica and Jordan will be doing battle.

JFF President Michael Ricketts said the matches are to give the Reggae Boyz the best opportunities to prepare for the Gold Cup.

“We want to place coach Hallgrimsson and his team in the best position to perform at their optimum at the Gold Cup,” Ricketts said.

“This is the third year consecutively that we will be hosted in this city, a location that is perfect for preparation. I believe that with the quality of the team we now have, combined with the quality of coaching, we have an outstanding opportunity to create history by winning the coveted trophy.”

Jamaica’s first match of the 2023 Gold Cup will come against defending champions USA on June 24^th at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Tottenham have no intention of interviewing Julian Nagelsmann over the vacant managerial role, the PA news agency understands.

Nagelsmann has been heavily linked with the post since his shock departure from Bayern Munich at the end of March.

The 35-year-old was in the running for the Spurs job in 2021 before Bayern swooped in at the time to secure the services of one of the most highly sought-after young coaches in world football.

When Antonio Conte left Tottenham soon after Nagelsmann’s dramatic exit from the Bundesliga champions, it was anticipated the German coach would again be in the mix for the vacancy at the Premier League club.

Speculation has rumbled on since but while Tottenham have great respect for Nagelsmann, they will not be meeting or interviewing him for the role and he is not a contender, PA understands.

Dundee have secured the services of highly-regarded midfielder Lyall Cameron on a new two-year deal.

The homegrown 20-year-old was instrumental in the Dens Park side winning the cinch Championship this season, scoring 14 goals and being named the club’s player of the year.

There were fears among supporters that Dundee may lose their prized asset as his previous deal expired this summer and he had been linked with other clubs, but the Dark Blues have moved to tie him down until 2025.

Dundee are currently searching for a new manager after Gary Bowyer left earlier this week, just days after securing the team’s return to the Premiership.

Todd Cantwell wants a Rangers win over Celtic on Saturday to reward the Gers fans who have not enjoyed any Old Firm success this season.

The Light Blues have failed to register a victory in the last six games against the Parkhead side – five of them in this campaign – including defeats in the ViaPlay Cup final and Scottish Cup semi-final.

Celtic will travel to Govan as cinch Premiership title winners with a domestic treble still in their sights as they face Championship side Inverness in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on June 3.

The visitors will not have any supporters inside Ibrox due to fan “security and safety” reasons, as was the case when Rangers visited the east end of Glasgow in April.

Cantwell has become a fans favourite since signing from Norwich in January and said: “I think the fans here want one thing and that’s people that care and they want people that want to play for the badge.

“As soon as they can see that then I think they’re on your side”.

And the Rangers playmaker is hoping to give the Light Blues supporters three points.

He said: “Yeah, I think it’s so important tomorrow for the fans more than anything.

“They’ve stuck with us. It has been a disappointing campaign and they do deserve better so, for me, it’s an opportunity tomorrow with them all there to hopefully see a good performance from us and hopefully a win.

“I think the fans in these games are what makes the games as well.

“We went there and we didn’t have any fans and they’re obviously having the same but I think the fans make this fixture.

“As long as everyone’s well behaved, it’s a game that everyone around the world looks at and thinks, ‘what a fantastic football match’.”

Malky Mackay will put Ross County’s crucial trip to Dundee United on Saturday in the context of a four-game relegation finale to the cinch Premiership campaign.

The Staggies much-needed 2-0 home win over Livingston last week tightened things at the bottom of the table.

County are still in the basement but only one point behind Kilmarnock and Dundee United, who lost 1-0 to St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in their last outing, while Killie went down 2-0 at Motherwell.

With games against Motherwell, St Johnstone and Kilmarnock to follow the trip to Tayside, boss Mackay looked at the bigger picture.

He said: “You look at the league table and everything is closed up, which is important.

“We managed to win and the two teams above us didn’t so it brings us that little bit closer to each other which is something that gives confidence to the group.

“We have to make sure we keep focused on the game which is right on front of our face and make sure we approach every game in the same manner we did at the weekend.

“Obviously, everyone knows what’s to play for in the four games coming.

“We have to be balanced as far as that is concerned and just make sure we go down there and give our best version of ourselves on the day.

“I don’t think you can (distinguish between games against closest rivals and other two), if you do that then fail in the games against the other two, then all of a sudden you could be in a worse position.

“So I think you just go straight into the game against the team you are playing and try to do your best and see where it falls at the end of the day, just like Saturday. No doubts it will be a tough game.”

Jim Goodwin wants his Dundee United players to be inspired by the magnitude of the occasion when relegation rivals Ross County visit a packed Tannadice on Saturday.

A crowd of more than 10,000 is expected for a critical showdown between two sides separated by just a point at the foot of the cinch Premiership.

Adding to the “emotion” of the match will be the fact it falls on the weekend of the 40th anniversary of their only top-flight title win under Jim McLean in 1983.

“We’re all looking forward to a terrific game on Saturday in front of what is expected to be one of the biggest home attendances of the season,” said manager Goodwin.

“I think not only does it illustrate the magnitude of the game but it also illustrates the size of this club and how well-supported it is. That was one of the biggest factors in me wanting to come here, to be a part of a big club with a great history.

“It’s a very important weekend in the calendar, the 40th anniversary of when the old boys won the league so that kind of adds to the emotion of the day from the supporters.

“The players are aware of the significance of that albeit we are fighting for our lives whereas those guys 40 years ago were competing up the top end to go and win championships which is something we could only dream of at this moment in time!

“But it does give you an understanding of what kind of football club you are at.

“For those players, I think it’s a really good message to them to realise they are at one of the biggest clubs in the country that have a great history and probably adds to the importance of the game in terms of why we need to keep this team in the Premiership.”

United looked to have hauled themselves towards safety after a run of three wins in a row took them four points clear of County but their defeat at St Johnstone last weekend allowed Malky Mackay’s Staggies to close the gap to just a point. Kilmarnock are also level on points with United.

“We have to be realistic about the situation,” said Goodwin.

“We know we’re in a relegation dogfight. We know we’re up against some good, competitive teams in Kilmarnock and Ross County.

“There’s nobody here who had assumed Ross County were out of it (before last weekend). We have always tried to keep our feet on the ground and stay level-headed.

“Winning three games on the spin can bring confidence and belief but it was never a case of us thinking we had turned a corner and that we were all of a sudden going to pull ourselves away from the bottom.

“There’s certainly no hangover from last weekend though, the lads are still very much where they need to be psychologically.”