Aitor Karanka says he will only accept that Middlesbrough are in danger of being relegated once they enter the bottom three.
For now, he prefers to focus on the fact that his side are yet to reside in the drop zone this season, despite their nine-match winless run currently being the longest in the Premier League.
Fail to win at Stoke on Saturday and 17th-placed Boro - the division’s lowest scorers with 19 - will have gone three months since their last top-flight victory.
The Teessiders have the look of a side sleepwalking towards the Championship but their manager is refusing to confront their shortcomings.