Victory away to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday is essential if Aston Villa are going to qualify for the Uefa Cup.
That is how Steven Davis feels about it and he is not the only Villa player to emphasise the need for victory at White Hart Lane.
Juan Pablo Angel, the striker, takes it a step farther: he believes that Villa need to win their next two matches if they are to have a chance of competing in Europe next season.
Villa's 1-1 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers last Saturday means that they have dropped six points from their past three matches at Villa Park. It is a run of form that means they are no longer in control of their own destiny.
Only three points against Tottenham, and some help from other clubs, will put Villa back in the driving seat.
"Spurs is a big game," Davis said. "They are around us and we need the three points. We feel as if we have dropped six points recently with the home draws but a win down at Spurs would put us in a good position, although Middlesbrough are in there as well.
"It is a big game. If we are going to get into Europe, we really do need to go there and win. I think we are playing well enough. It is just a matter of killing off the games.
"We are playing well enough but we are not doing enough to kill off the teams. We are 1-0 up and in a good position and they get back into the game but we had a couple of chances to kill off the game which we couldn't take.
"I had two chances in the match. With the first one I think I maybe should have done better. I should have gone across him with the shot. With the second one he has pulled off a good save.
"It has been a good season for me to come into the side. I started off as a sub but I've had a good run to the end of the season and I'm looking to get that going now.
"It went well for me [against Bolton]. I enjoy getting the ball down and playing because I'm not the tallest or most physical of people.
"I've had a good run and the manager is leaving other midfield players out of the side and picking me ahead of them. That is a confidence booster for me and I'm just making the most of it."
Angel says that Villa need victories against Tottenham and Manchester City if dreams of Europe are to remain a reality.
Angel is aware that Tottenham pose the main threat to their chances of qualifying for the Uefa Cup via seventh spot in the Premiership table.
The need for a Villa win at White Hart Lane has been heightened after disappointing draws at home to West Bromwich Albion, Charlton Athletic and Bolton.
"It has very disappointing to drop the four points in the two home games we've had in the past week," Angel said. "From the past three games, Southampton away, Charlton home and Bolton home, we had a really great opportunity to get the nine points.
"But that has gone now. We have to look ahead - and win at Tottenham. We know we've had a great opportunity to be up there for the European places. If we expect to be in Europe next year, we have to win the next two games at least."
Despite their lengthy injury list, it has been the lack of goals from the likes of Angel, Darius Vassell and Carlton Cole that has resulted in a frustrating season for Villa.
Manager David O'Leary said: "We should have scored more goals this season with the way we have played and the chances we have created. Goals win and turn games and we have failed to do this. We have been missing too many chances all season.
"We should have won the last three home games. We have not been scoring enough goals for a team that creates chances and plays the way we try to do."
In one sense, this season has been the opposite of last season, where Angel was prolific but nobody else seemed to be scoring. This season the goals have come from midfield and Angel has been disappointing.
