LYLE TAYLOR doesn't know what the future holds for him.

But the striker is determined the outlook will be a promising one for Partick Thistle as he looks to fire them to Premiership safety this season.

The former Falkirk star has shone since clinching a loan move to Firhill in January and has played a major role for Alan Archibald's side in recent months.

He is due to return to parent club Sheffield United at the end of the campaign but his status at the League One side remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Thistle's Premiership clash with relegation rivals St Mirren this evening could be one of the last times Taylor pulls on a red-and-yellow shirt.

Victory over the Buddies would be a huge step towards top-flight safety for Archibald's side.

And the forward is eager to bow out on a high if he is indeed entering the final weeks of his Firhill stint.

Taylor said: "I don't know what the score is or is going to be with regards to Sheffield United.

"They haven't told me that I am not going back. I am still owned by them so therefore I am going back. The only thing I don't have is the date for pre-season.

"There are more important and pressing things that will come before that. We have got four massive games and I will do everything I can to make sure we stay up. No player wants a relegation on his CV.

"I will be doing my best to make sure that doesn't happen to this squad.

"It is another massive game for us and we have to go into it looking to take three points.

"Things weren't looking great before the split but we got a good result at Killie and hopefully we will be able to continue that and follow it up with another good performance and win against St Mirren.

"A win for us would put the pressure on the other teams playing over the weekend but there is a pressure on every team to get results just now.

"Everybody is looking to win their games and keep their own fate in their own hands. St Mirren want to win tonight as much as we do, like Hearts, Hibs, Killie and County do."

Taylor has netted five times for Thistle since returning north of the border after his summer switch to Sheffield.

He was dropped from the Jags' starting line-up for last weekend's 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Kris Doolan was handed the lone striker's berth for the Ayrshire clash but Taylor has no hard feelings as he sets his sights on a return to action tonight.

He said: "It is the manager's decision. I was disappointed not to start the game but it is not about me individually or how many minutes I can play. It is about the team and the squad.

"We are all fighting for survival together. It is a huge time for all the teams there, nobody is safe. So we have got to do everything we can to make sure we are safe."

Neither Taylor or Doolan would find the target against Allan Johnston's side but it was still a successful afternoon for Thistle, who claimed a big three points to get their post-split fixture schedule off to a flying start at Rugby Park.

Playmaker Kallum Higginbotham was the star of the show for the Jags as he scored a terrific free-kick and set up Aaron Taylor-Sinclair for a dramatic late winner to haul the Jags out of the play-off spot.

Taylor added: "Higgy hit a really good vein of form around the time of the Motherwell game and he scored that great goal at Fir Park. On his day, he is unplayable.

"It is up to the boys that play, be it myself or someone else, to get the ball to our most creative players.

"We want to get the likes of Higgy and Squiddy [Chris Erskine] on the ball.

"We have to work hard and hopefully it will be enough to get another three points."