Shamal George is adamant Livingston still believe they can claim a top-six place even though they go into the last weekend before the cinch Premiership split requiring favours from other teams.
The Lions have spent most of the season in the top half of the table but a run of five defeats in their last eight league matches has left them in seventh place.
In order to get back into the top six they must win away to resurgent Dundee United on Saturday and hope that either sixth-placed Hibernian slip up away to St Johnstone or fifth-placed St Mirren lose at home to Kilmarnock.
“Yes, of course,” said goalkeeper George when asked if he remained optimistic about his team’s chances. “We’ve got to think positively. We’ll focus on ourselves and fingers crossed one of the other teams do us a favour.
“There is a sense of frustration that it’s out of our hands but we can’t focus on that.
“The top six is what we wanted at the start of the season. I know the gaffer talks about us staying in the league but with the players we’ve got in that dressing-room, he knows and we know we’ve got the quality to get into the top six. Fingers crossed we can come through.”
George knows Dundee United, who have climbed off the bottom of the table with back-to-back wins, will provide tough opposition. However, the goalkeeper is relishing what appears to be Livingston’s biggest match of the season.
“These big pressure games are what you want to play in,” he said. “Hopefully we come through the other side of it with three points and in the top six.
“Dundee United are a good team with good players. They’re a big club so it’s not going to be easy. We’re fully focused on this game and trying to get three points.”
