Jose Gomes says he is growing more confident each week that Reading will stay in the Championship.
The Royals are currently outside the relegation zone on goal difference with 12 games to play, starting at rock-bottom Ipswich Town on Saturday (3pm), a side nine points adrift from safety with just three wins all season.
PODCAST: Tom and Olly preview the trip to Portman Road
Reading missed a golden opportunity to pull clearer of danger last weekend, drawing 1-1 with fellow strugglers Rotherham United at Madejski Stadium, but Gomes remains upbeat about his side’s prospects.
“Each week that passes, I’m more convinced that we will get what we want,” said the Royals boss.
“It is a very positive environment around the players, the intensity they are putting in, the happiness you can feel in what they are doing.
“All of these are positive signs for the games.
“We just need to play our game on Saturday, it doesn’t matter that we’re away.”
Gomes billed last Saturday’s clash against Rotherham as the ‘match of the season’, but he says this weekend’s trip to Portman Road eclipses that contest.
“This is even more important than the previous game,” he said.
“Each round that passes, the number of points that we have is a more important issue.
“Of course, the Ipswich game is a really important game. In the two upcoming games (Ipswich and Wigan), definitely we must win and catch the points that we need to be out of this position.
“The Championship is a really balanced league. All the teams can beat all the teams.
“Anything can happen in this league.”
Paul Lambert took charge of his first Ipswich game in the reverse fixture back at the Mad Stad in November, drawing 2-2 after replacing Paul Hurst as boss.
And Gomes says that Lambert’s squad have the ability to mix things up.
“We are expecting the biggest and strongest Ipswich,” he said.
“They started the league playing really good football and up until the Aston Villa game (January 26).
“In the last four games, it’s been a different style. They changed and showed they are able to play direct football as well.
“I suppose this change is regarding the points that they didn’t catch so they are trying a different style.
“They started playing a passing game. Now they don’t have the points they were maybe expecting and in the last four games, they changed a lot.
“They changed the system, they changed the philosophy but we cannot forget they started the league playing a passing game, being patient with the ball and now they are showing that they are able to play different football.
“But the players don’t forget the way that they played, so they can play both styles.”
“They have quality players but sometimes the distance between winning and losing is so small.
“Small details can make the difference.
“We know what they can do and we are preparing for that and every team also has weak points we can explore.”
Over 1,000 Royals fans are set to make the trip to Suffolk, hoping to cheer on just a second away win of the campaign with the last coming way back in September against Preston North End.
“They have been a fantastic extra player,” said Gomes of the fans.
“We really feel them during the games.
“Sometimes we are not playing how we could play, but they are still there. They support the team from the first whistle until the last.
“When we play away and we arrive at the stadium, they are there waiting for the bus and when the players finish their shower and they go to the bus, they are at the bus waiting for the players so they are really amazing.
“During the games, we can hear them. They support us during all the game.
“For me, it’s a very important extra player and I’m pleased that they will travel again to support us.”
Reading have no new injury concerns but are set to once again be without Andy Rinomhota (ankle) and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (calf) as well as long-term absentees Saeid Ezatolahi (thigh), Jordan Obita (knee), Anssi Jaakkola (Achilles) and Sam Baldock (thigh).
