STEPHEN McMANUS has told his Motherwell team-mates they have to win their three remaining SPFL Premiership fixtures to harbour any hopes of avoiding the promotion and relegation play-offs.

The Steelmen lie six points behind Kilmarnock and Ross County in eleventh spot with the Rugby Park outfit travelling to Fir Park in a real six-pointer tomorrow night.

Anything other than a victory will almost certainly leave Ian Baraclough's men facing a two-legged, winner-takes-all showdown against Championship opposition, but McManus is demanding that the Killie clash is simply the start.

"If we have any aspirations about getting out of this play-off position, I think we need to win all three matches," stated the centre-half.

"Our objective when we went into the split was to win as many games as we could and we were bitterly disappointed not to beat Ross County at the weekend, but there are three matches left and we'll try to win them and see where that takes us.

"Our problems this season haven't come about in the last three or four weeks.

"We've had a change of manager and a change of ownership, but it's the players who can make a real difference and we just haven't won enough matches."

Kilmarnock enter tomorrow's match on a run of six straight defeats, but McManus refuses to indulge in mind games aimed at increasing the pressure already on them.

"At this stage of the campaign, it's always difficult and it's disrespectful to speak about other teams," he said. "We'll just concentrate on what we have to do."

McManus is also aware of the need for Motherwell's players to maintain the momentum gained by Les Hutchison's January takeover, a move geared towards securing full fan ownership within five years, by keeping the club in the top division.

"Les has come in and been absolutely terrific," said McManus. "He has tremendous passion towards the club and the community and we, as players, have bought into it.

"I always think that leaders should show real positivity because other people will then latch on to that, so Les coming in is the best thing that could have happened.

"He's come in and been very passionate and that's infectious. He wants what's best for Motherwell and he wants us to head in the right direction. Behind the scenes, it's certainly going that way now.

"Listen, it won't be easy but three, four or five years down the line, I'd like to think that the club will be in a stable position.

"We know it's going to be a really tough game tomorrow because Kilmarnock will be looking to win it as well.

"From our point of view, we're going into it full of confidence after our recent performances."