Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer expects his players to fight for the club’s top-flight status and their own futures when they host bottom club St Johnstone on Saturday.
Eighth-placed Well sit on 39 points – 10 above Saints and five above Dundee – after missing out on the Scottish Premiership top six.
Victory on Saturday should take them away from play-off danger but defeat would maintain the uncertainty as Wimmer prepares for next season.
The German claimed his team were “absolutely” in a relegation fight as they prepare to face a side who are battling for survival.
“No team can feel safe because it’s so tight,” he added. “The league is only safe if it is mathematically not possible to get relegated.
“I also expect that my team is fighting for the points because we also need the points to secure our status in the league for the next season as soon as possible.
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“So we can’t save energy or anything. We have to fight for each duel, for each ball, because we also need the points here.
“What happens now that we are in the bottom six, it shows me everything.
“Because now the character is important, now it’s important who gives everything, not only everything on the pitch, but everything for this club. So who wants to stay, who wants to play for this club?
“This is so lovely now for me to see this: who leaves his heart on the pitch to play for Motherwell and to help to secure our status in the league as soon as possible?
“This is, for me, perfect, and this also influences my decisions for the squad for next season.”
Motherwell have left-back Steve Seddon back in contention following an ankle injury but Kofi Balmer has been ruled out with a hamstring problem and fellow centre-back Liam Gordon will still be missing through concussion.
