Paul Tisdale insists he is "more than confident" Bristol Rovers will climb clear of relegation trouble this season.
His side are hovering one point and two places of League One's bottom four with 20 games played, and consecutive defeats against Charlton Athletic and Crewe Alexandra have left Gasheads bracing for an uncomfortable second half of the season.
But the Gas boss is adamant his side will be "absolutely fine" come the end of the campaign.
"I look at the table every day of the season, because I’m a professional person and that’s where the team is judged," Tisdale said.
"As a professional, of course, I look at it and understand where we are. As a manager of this team, I’m sure we’re going to be absolutely fine.
"I’ve been in situ for two months. The team is beginning to play with some of the fluency I expect and would want to see in the team.
"Tuesday night at Crewe gave me great heart for what I saw and the energy and bravery in the team to play in certain areas and be forward-thinking.
"I’m trying to put my own stamp on things of course, that’s what I’ve got to do and I’m by no means there yet and I’m still trying to find the best way to get the best out of the players we have at Bristol Rovers.
"I am of course aware of the league table, every game is vitally important no matter where you are in the table, but I’m more than confident, with the progress we’ve made already, with the players we have, with the feedback from the players, that we’re going to be absolutely fine and we’re going to move up the table over the next 20 plus games."
The Gas travel to the Kassam Stadium on Saturday to face an in-form Oxford United side riding a run of four league wins on the bounce, and Tisdale foresees a tough game.
"They play (good) football and I’m expecting some space and I’m expecting a good football match," the manager said.
"They’ve got a bit more form recently, so well done them, but with the way we played for the last four or five weeks I’m expecting we can give them a good game.
"As close as you are to losing two or three in this league, we’re as close to winning two or three in a row. That might be the start of a run on Saturday."
