Steve Bruce takes his depleted Newcastle United team to the Amex Stadium on Monday night satisfied his players are giving him everything despite having very little to play for in the last two fixtures.
United can't finish in the top 10 now but have been safe from the drop for some time now and Bruce has not read out the riot act to his players after three successive defeats.
Poor late season form has seen Newcastle slump to 13th place in the table and even the prospect of beating last season's points tally of 45 could now evade the Magpies.
After another tough week, which included defeats against Watford and Spurs, Bruce told the Chronicle: "I was delighted by the way we played against Tottenham.
"I thought some of the football we played was right up there. We gave away poor goals and you can't dispute that.
"You just can't do that against a team like Tottenham but to have more possession and more shots on target I was delighted.
"The commitment and the way we played really pleased me. However, the result didn't.
"The other night I watched the West Ham game against Watford and looked at the quality of those teams and some of the others in the bottom half.
"When I look at some of the teams and the quality of them who we can still catch (Everton and Southampton) we have done OK."
Yet Bruce will still ask his squad for more in the last two matches against Brighton then at home to Liverpool.
Bruce added: "We have to improve and we can't be satisfied with what we have now.
"But I think we'd all have settled to have been practically safe after beating Southampton back in March. That was a long time ago!
"The motivation was when we returned to get the job done quickly. We always knew the end of the season was going to be difficult.
"To have Man City twice, Tottenham and Liverpool was going to be a tough act."
That act was made even tougher this week when Fabian Schar was ruled out for three months with a dislocated shoulder and Jamaal Lascelles went under the knife for ankle operation.
Muscle injuries have cost Sean Longstaff and Isaac Hayden too.
Bruce said: "We're hamstrung, pardon the pun!
"Especially at centre-back and overall we have seven or eight missing.
"Unfortunately, that is too many and it's a problem, one we will have to look at."
Bruce was hoping to turn to Academy product Kell Watts but may only be permitted to use him if there is no other option and depending on the Premier League's stance on injuries.
Bruce went on: "Even with the kid (Kell Watts) there was a complication. He's been out on loan and played for other clubs.
"We have asked the Football League and we find out later today if it's successful or not."
