Neil Warnock believes Cardiff City are putting the "frighteners" up teams like Burnley and Southampton, though the next two games will be more a case of hanging in than surging out of the bottom three.
Chelsea and Man City lie in wait for a Bluebirds side who won't have played any competitive football for 22 days by the time Sunday's game kicks off just after two o'clock.
If Cardiff are to have a sniff against either of the big boys in blue — and Warnock admits it's unlikely they will pick up any points — they will have to learn from previous games against top-six sides.
Even setting aside the Eden Hazard masterclass that blew the Bluebirds away at Stamford Bridge in September and Warnock's record against the big teams this season doesn't make for pretty reading.
Played eight, lost eight.
And in games against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at home either side of Christmas, Cardiff shot themselves in the foot by conceding in the first three minutes.
Warnock was in buoyant mood at his pre-match press conference . "I think all the lads think we can (stay up)," he proclaimed, bullishly.
"We’d have snapped your hand off to be here at this stage of the season."
But he's keen for his players to learn from those United and Spurs defeats, the opening gambits of which saw the razor-sharp visiting attacks instantly puncture the atmosphere at Cardiff City.
Of course, Warnock's men aren't supposed to get anything against the Premier League behemoths, but that doesn't mean he wasn't angered by the defending in those games.
"What we can’t afford to do is what we've done against Tottenham and Man United and teams like that and give a goal away in the first two bloody minutes," he seethed.
"It's a waste of time doing any tactics when you do things like that, so I hope we start well."
Warnock and Cardiff are still riding the crest of a wave, however, just two points behind nearest rivals Burnley with a game in hand at the moment. They'll just hope to be within striking distance in two week's time when they meet at Turf Moor.
Burnley host Wolves this weekend and Cardiff will be praying for a favour from Nuno's side, while hoping their own terrible top six record can be taken down at the perfect time.
Chelsea at home surely provides the biggest opening of all Cardiff's games against the big boys. Man City? Less so, as Warnock joked.
"Technically we shouldn’t have a chance in either of them," he added.
"But I just think anything can happen — especially with a full house.
"It's amazing how the fans have stuck with us and seem to be enjoying every minute, I'm sure the die-hards will go to Man City! I think that's sold out!
"We've enjoyed it and why can't we enjoy it?
"We’re still putting the frighteners up one or two clubs above us. I'd like to think we could do that if we get over these two or three games, then who knows?
"We’ve been a bit unlucky having three weeks off, but that's how it is, we’ve just got to get on with it. All of a sudden we've two tough games in three days, which doesn’t help the squad at the moment with the injuries we've got.
"But we’re in that kind of mood at the minute. We can do anything that we set our minds to - if we have a bit of the rub of the green. I'm looking forward to the games, I'm not apprehensive."
So is the glass half-full of half-empty for Warnock, as Cardiff face a make-or-break eight-game run?
"I think it's brimming, I think it's over-brimming."
