Boss Mick McCarthy believes a top two finish could be beyond the Blues come 5pm on Saturday if Town lose at Middlesbrough and results elsewhere don’t go their way.

The seventh-placed Blues, who face Boro live on Sky at 12.15pm, are currently five points behind leaders Bournemouth and also Derby in second, third-placed Watford and the Teessiders, who are fourth.

“If we lost on Saturday and there are then two teams eight points in front of us, we’re not going to be getting into the top two,” McCarthy said.

“We’re not going to win three more games than the ones at the top. I doubt that very, very much. That would take a huge effort.

“It’s unlikely. So in the games that we’ve got coming up it’s important that we stay in that pack, get back in the top six, get something out of them and that we’re not even thinking about that, that we’re thinking about the top two until it’s impossible.”

The Cherries, who are currently top, are at home to table-propping Blackpool, the Rams are away at Norwich, who are fifth, while the Hornets take on Reading, who are 16th, at home.

The Blues manager, who made the trip to Ewood Park to watch Tuesday's opponents Bolton lose 1-0 to Blackburn on Wednesday evening, is pleased that Town have the likes of Boro, Bournemouth and Watford still to play so their fate is to some extent in their own hands.

“We can affect things and we can be right out of it,” he added. “That’s the picture we’ve got in front of us at the moment.

“I guess our focus is making sure we’re still in it. That we don’t get beaten, that we get something out of the games and we’re still in it right to the very end.”

He says talk about the possibility of winning promotion is far from banned from the training ground.

“[We talk about it] all the time. At least be in the top six, at least be in the promotion shake-up, that’s [how it's been from day one],” he continued.

“Why would that change? Nothing’s changed with 10 games to go. I find it’s strange that anyone would think differently, that we wouldn’t.

“We look at the papers, we know what position we’re in, we know how many points we’ve got, we know what everybody else has got.

“But then you have to focus on Middlesbrough and if we don’t get anything there then it’s going to make it very tough for us.”

Photo: Action Images

BlueMachines added 06:16 - Mar 13 Basically, "I'm setting up for a draw!!"
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Len_Brennan added 06:28 - Mar 13 A draw would leave us 7 points behind 2 of the top 4 if they were to win - and that is likely for Bournemouth & Watford at least - meaning that we would still need 3 extra wins to overhaul them. I think Mick sees the writing on the wall for automatic promotion, especially given our goal difference. We need to win at Boro.
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RegencyBlue added 07:26 - Mar 13 Personally I'd be happy with sixth given our current form.
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Steelmonkey added 07:30 - Mar 13 It's never ideal when you have to relie on your opponents to improve your league position, good teams don't have to. Think we have defiantly punched above our weight this season, many reasons mean we could still be in a better position than we are. Now reaping the benefits of having an inadequate squad in terms of size and ability. However a top six finish is possible. COYB's

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bluefeast added 07:31 - Mar 13 top 6 would be brilliant ,and always would of been from day 1 this season.
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warktheline added 07:41 - Mar 13 Even after the Boro game, there are still going to be many twists and turns, for all teams. Take a look at Boro's next 4 games! Many will have interpreted the article as negative from McCarthy, but NOT losing to promotion rivals at this stage is paramount. We don't have the luxury of points advantage.
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DurhamTownFan added 07:48 - Mar 13 I'd call this maybe a must-win game. I know Boro are a great team as I know we aren't out of if if we lose, but at this stage it's all about confidence. We've not played that well lately, have had a few draining results, and so I think if we lose again tomorrow the team will start to doubt themselves (if some aren't already). Basically, I feel we either need to nick it and get lucky, or play really really well and just come up short (Boro to equalise last minute or something). If we lose without putting in a performance (eg Derby, Southampton, Norwich) I think that's curtains for us! So come on!!

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TR11BLU added 07:48 - Mar 13 We need to go for the win, alien to Mick away from home know but not losing is not good enough at this stage. As he pointed out its in our hand with the games we have so a draw achieves nothing when we trail anyway. We need to reduce the deficit..
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Jimmy86 added 07:51 - Mar 13 We were always going to have a blip at some point and our brilliant form wasn't going to last all season, but our failure to significantly strengthen properly in January, when we were 2nd and really should have kicked on, will cost us. Our form since the turn of the year has Been poor. Think we have chosen the wrong time to have a drop in form. Play offs is a must
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Surco72 added 07:51 - Mar 13 A point at Boro will be a good point , unfortunately we have put ourselves in a poor position in head to head games by dropping so many points at struggling sides recently
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Garv added 08:29 - Mar 13 It would be hard to grumble at a point away at Middlesbrough, but even if we manage that, if Brentford win at home to Cardiff we're then three points behind them which would not look good at all. We need to try and win the game. We need a Wigan performance!
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Guthrum added 08:41 - Mar 13 We haven't dropped very many points against 'strugglers', just five in total against the current bottom five teams, with only one game to play, which is pretty comparable with those in the top six. Only Watford has a flawless record, with two games left, Brentford have dropped two, but stil have three to play. Bournemouth (4, one left) and Boro (4, three left) come next. Norwich have dropped 8 points against the bottom five, with two to play, while Derby are down 10 with three yet to play.

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brittaniaman added 08:48 - Mar 13 I would feel more confident of getting something from this game if we were not on TV. BUT if we could put in the performance we did when we played them down here, NO problem !!!!!!!!
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mikeybloo88 added 08:48 - Mar 13 To go from where we are now, given how we're playing and who we have to play and how other teams are playing, to finish in top 2 would be an even greater achievement than what we've done during the season to date. Logic therefore says it's a play-off place at best. Dream all you want but realism says otherwise.
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BiGDonnie added 09:15 - Mar 13 I know, let's drop Sears and Murpby?
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muccletonjoe added 10:12 - Mar 13 Since January we have looked frightened to play ad if our league position and all that goes with it has been very much the reason for the way we are playing. Maybe mick can get them to focus on each game and forget the rest of it, but I very much doubt if we will finish in the top 6.
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Geoff added 10:53 - Mar 13 If we have any hope of a top six we must get a play maker in midfield on loan .Really must address the goals from midfield,also the mistakes in defence.Agree Jimmy86 we should have strengthened in January but got slated when i stated that then.
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carsey added 11:06 - Mar 13 i hope Mick and Terry read HarryFromBath's piece this week. It's clear the boro supporters feel they are vulnerable to being attacked and pressured so we should definitely go 4 3 3 and get at them. We can't be sitting trying to defender against anyone now, not with the mistakes the back four keep making. I believe we do have the playing staff to do the job provided they are told to go out and do it and are in their correct positions.

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Surco72 added 12:38 - Mar 13 Guthrum ... Brighton , Wigan , Rotherham 7 points dropped in one week ?
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chepstowblue added 12:47 - Mar 13 Spot on Mikeybloo88.Id suggest that if we lose, the top 6 is unlikely with trips to Watford,Wolves and Blackburn on the horizon as well as some tricky home fixtures.Sure, lets try to win the game but accept that a draw would a very decent result. Somehow,somewhere we need to pull off a surprise victory but fear that the last 2 games (where 4pts should have been obtained rather than 1) may well mean we will just miss out.

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bluesince84 added 13:41 - Mar 13 Boro scared of an attacking formation like 433 so it'll be 442 then.
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TimmyH added 15:50 - Mar 13 Got to play EVERY game as if we need 3 points!! - we've slipped quite badly over the last couple of months and we're already in this pressure situation which we really shouldn't be in, surely this can't continue, can it?...personally see this game as a draw which will make Mick ecstatic.
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blueboy1981 added 16:29 - Mar 13 .......... correct Michael - could possibly have been so different though - if only you had considered the words 'attack' and 'width' a bit more. We WERE there - only a few short weeks back, AND in the driving seat, with everything in our favour.
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jas0999 added 19:11 - Mar 13 If we want to remain in automatic contention, we need a minimum of seven points from next three games. Play off place we still need five. It's disappointing that we are now looking over our shoulder further and trying to get back into the top six considering where were at Christmas. Lack of January signings has as expected cost us in recent weeks. It remains to be seen who is at fault. Evans, MM or both!

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