Lee Cattermole doesn't expect anyone in the Sunderland squad to start feeling sorry for themselves, despite the chance of automatic promotion all-but gone.
Yesterday's Sunderland 1-1 Portsmouth: Five key points as Black Cats end on a dampener at home , coupled with a win for Barnsley, means the Black Cats can now only draw level with the top two if they win their remaining two games.
They would also need one of Barnsley or Luton to lose on the final day - and then overturn a significant goal difference defecit.
But Cattermole is refusing to be downbeat at this stage of the season, with promotion still very much in his sights.
"It's a game we felt we needed to win to get to where we want to which is automatic promotion," he said of the draw with Pompey.
"Obviously it's still not completely over but we might need to start getting our heads round looking at the play-offs because that's the way it's looking.
"We need to finish the season strongly, I thought it was a great performance from the boys and we were the only team who looked like they really wanted to win the game.
"We're disappointed at the game but when we look back, we've got to be happy with the performance.
"If we play like that for the next couple of games, I think we're going to win games.
"We certainly shouldn't start feeling sorry for ourselves, that's not going to get us anywhere.
"That's everybody as a club, we're in a good position, I think we'd have taken this at the start of the season."
And Cattermole has urged everyone connected with the club to stay positive as the season draws to what will be a dramatic climax.
"I'd be very disappointed if people start being negative about what we've done this season because I think everyone has put a real shift in, the whole club, the fans, the city, the manager, the staff, the new owner," he told safc.com
"Everyone has bought into what we wanted.
"There have been huge highs this season and I think it's been positive so let's not feel sorry for ourselves.
"Let's get our head round getting promoted because it is still on the cards."
Sunderland would fancy their chances against anyone in the play-offs, says Jack Ross
Sunderland 1-1 Portsmouth: Five key points as Black Cats end on a dampener at home
