Sean McGinty insists Ayr can finish their season with a flourish to make the Premiership promotion shootout.
United know wins at home to Raith next Saturday and at Inverness on the final night will guarantee a play-off spot.
Even less may be enough should results go their way - but McGinty insists the equation is now simple.
He told the Ayrshire Post: "We know that two wins will get us there so that has to be our aim.
"It's been a crazy league all season and there will no doubt be a twist or two left in these final weeks.
"We have two massive games still to go - we know next week against Raith is a must win game and we take it from there.
"We've got to come out firing next week - play like we did on Friday against Queen's Park and we'll win it.
"We gave it everything on the night and just couldn't get the ball in the net.
"But it could turn out to be a good point when you look at the fixtures still to go and everyone still playing each other."
McGinty admits Ayr's start to the season - which had them top of the Championship before Christmas - has led to spiralling expectations.
It follows last season's final day escape from relegation, and the skipper insists it's good to be competing at the right end of the table.
He said: "It's a 36 game season and we started like a train. We've been through a bit of a blip but the team has been brilliant all season to get us to 52 points, which is a massive improvement on last season.
"This time last year we were losing against Dunfermline and thinking we might be going down.
"This is a different sort of pressure we're dealing with and we know all of the games are massive. You want that type of pressure.
"But I fully believe that if we go out next week and deliver the same kind of performance as we have in our last few games, it will be good enough for three points."
