Ross County manager Malky Mackay insists Saturday’s visit of St Johnstone is no more important than any other game.
But the cinch Premiership table will make very different reading for County fans depending on the result.
County have been one of the form teams in the league in recent months after a difficult start to the season, and their defeat by Hibernian last weekend was their first in five matches.
However, defeat by the improving Saints on Saturday would leave Mackay’s team just a point clear of the relegation play-off position and Dundee, with a game in hand, would also be eyeing the Dingwall side.
On the other hand, victory for County would nudge them towards the battle for top-six places as well as creating some daylight between them and the team immediately below.
Mackay was careful not to heap too much pressure on his players ahead of Saturday’s Global Energy Stadium encounter.
“They are all important, it’s no different from any other,” he said. “They are all important.
“We still have got to play 11 games and every one of them are important to us.”
Mackay hopes to have some players back after being without David Cancola, Jack Burroughs, Blair Spittal and Keith Watson at Easter Road.
“We should hopefully have one or two on the way back from injury,” he said.
“We have four or five out at the moment and there’s maybe one or two back. We will see how we go.”
