Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell says it is "remarkable" his side have an outside chance of making the top six after taking the reins two months ago with the club in the relegation mire.
The Steelmen were joint-bottom when Kettlewell stepped up from his role as head of development at Fir Park to replace Steven Hammell at the helm.
He took charge on an interim basis before landing the job permanently with back-to-back wins during his audition.
Two months on, the 38-year-old has lost just once - a battling 4-2 defeat at home to Rangers last month - in seven games so far to take the Steelmen to the cusp of a top six spot.
Breaking into that half of the table is unlikely with wins over Dundee United and away to champions-elect Celtic in the final two pre-split games required, as well as some other results falling for them.
But although the bottom six looks to be their final destination, Kettlewell says for the top half to even be mathematically possible is some feat.
Ahead of Saturday's home clash with United, he said: "The sense that it is mathematically possible that we still have an opportunity to make the top six is pretty amazing from where we started.
"For us to be in that position with two games to go is pretty remarkable in terms of how the players have performed and acquitted themselves.
"But it is genuinely about another game on a Saturday for us, trying to get three points.
"After that we will see where we go.
"If we can perform the way we have in the last couple of weeks then I think we give ourselves a brilliant chance to win some more points on Saturday - and if we don't, we know we are going to be in for a really tough afternoon."
Kettlewell is taking nothing for granted and insists he even if his side claim victory over bottom side Dundee United on Saturday, their work for survival will be far from over.
Asked if a win would make his side safe, he said: "You are never going to hear those words come out of my mouth. Safe from what, would be my question to that?
"We set ourselves goals and challenges and they have evolved over the last few weeks.
"I just keep talking about controlling the controllables.
"As long as we keep putting wins on the board and performances together, I don't tend to look at too many things out with that.
"That will be the message to the players this week.
"The goals have changed for us in terms of points tallies we think we can get, our placing in the league, but we can only control what is in our hands."
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