Russell Slade knows Cardiff City’s play-off hopes are now slim but insists the players will not give up the fight.
The Bluebirds are looking for Derby to do them a favour by beating top Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday lunchtime before they face relegated Bolton.
Slade’s side are seventh and trail the Owls by six points – and have an inferior goal difference – but travel to Hillsborough for what could be a decisive clash on Saturday week.
And Slade, 55, said: “Our chances of reaching the play-offs are slim but still possible.
“We’ve taken two points from the last four games which is certainly not play-offs form but you could say that about Ipswich, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday.
“None of us have got the results that we would have wanted which is why it’s left the door open slightly.
“We must never give up. There is always an opportunity and you have got to seize it and see it as a challenge and try and embrace it.
“We won’t watch the Wednesday game against Derby. We’ll be preparing.
“We know they have a better goal difference, but that does not mean we will be going out with six forwards trying to make up that difference.
“There has to be a professional and common sense approach. We have to control what we can do and get back to winning ways against Bolton.
“It is all irrelevant unless we do what we have to do against Bolton.
“But if you are a Sheffield Wednesday fan you are thinking it’s not over. We want to go to there with them under pressure.”
Slade could give striker Kenneth Zohore his first start after he scored when coming off the bench in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Brentford after admitting injury doubts within the squad.
He added: “That’s the impact we wanted from him at Brentford.
“It was his best impact yet. He’s been in useful positions and not finished before. But we are pleased he managed to get a goal.
“It will give him confidence. You have to think about starting him, I’ve got injury concerns with one or two others.”
