St Johnstone midfielder Drey Wright admits the time for talking has stopped and says they now need to put doubts over their top-flight status to bed.
Saints have only beaten Dundee United and Motherwell in 2023 and a 2-0 home defeat against the Steelmen last Saturday left them in the midst of the cinch Premiership relegation fight.
They now face journeys to play the two teams immediately below them in their next two games, starting with Saturday’s clash with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Wright said: “I was going into the game at the weekend really confident we were going to win that one and it would be pretty much be job done.
“But it didn’t pan out that way so we just move on another week with the same goal.
“There is no shying away from it. We have got to stand up and put away chances.
“I had a big one at the weekend which I was not happy with at all so I know that getting one this weekend is a massive chance to put away and that will be a big step in securing our safety.
“For months we have had whispers between ourselves – ‘another couple of wins and we will be fine’ – and we are now in the last three games of the season and we are still saying the same thing. It’s time to put it to bed once and for all.
“It’s getting to that crunch time but we have got to rise up and do the job.”