Andre Amougou believes four wins from the remaining seven games will be enough to keep Bristol City in the npower Championship.
Signed on loan from Burnley earlier this month, the Cameroon international is determined to help the Robins stave off the threat of relegation back to League One.
City go into today's home clash against Derby just one point and one place above the drop zone and Amougou and his new team-mates are rapidly running out of games.
Today's showdown with the Rams is followed by crucial back-to-back fixtures against fellow-strugglers Nottingham Forest and Coventry over the Easter weekend, after which City complete their programme with games against Birmingham, West Ham United, Barnsley and Burnley.
Amougou is targeting four wins and reckons another 12 points will see the Robins finish clear of Doncaster, Portsmouth and Coventry.
He said: "All the fans will be looking at the table and the remaining fixtures and trying to work out how many points will be needed to stay up.
"As players, we look at the table and see the same things. In the situation Bristol City are in, it is clear we badly need points now.
"I think four wins from the last seven games will keep us up and, looking at the fixtures, that is achievable.
"If we can win four of the next six and not go into the final game of the season needing to win or draw to stay up, that would be even better."
Amougou feels the Easter holiday double-header against Forest and Coventry will define City's season.
He said: "Both are games against sides around us in the table and will be crucially important.
"I don't think it is going too far to say those two games will determine whether we stay up or are relegated."
Meanwhile, City midfielder Stephen Pearson insists he and his team-mates do not fear what promises to be a nerve-racking run-in to the campaign.
"We have to face up to the situation we are in and not hide from it," said Pearson, who is today expected to line -up against his former club at Ashton Gate.
"There are a lot of strong characters in our dressing room and we do not fear it.
"Of course, there is pressure and tension, but we cannot allow that to get the better of us."
Although Pearson claims he has nothing to prove to Derby boss Nigel Clough, who allowed him to leave Pride Park and join City on a short-term contract earlier this year, he admits pride will be a spur.
He said: "I enjoyed my time at Derby and there are certainly no hard feelings.
"I don't feel I have a point to prove to anyone there, but it would be nice to play well and show the Derby fans what I am capable of.
"I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends and colleagues but, once the game starts, I will be focused on doing a job for Bristol City."
He added: "My knowledge of the Derby players could come in useful if the manager (Derek McInnes) asks me.
"But knowing the gaffer and how thorough he is, he will almost certainly know a lot more about them than I do!"
On-loan Hogan Ephraim, meanwhile, could be the creative midfielder Bristol City have been crying out for since Paul Hartley made the return journey to his native Scotland in the summer of 2010.
Not only did Ephraim demonstrate a refreshing willingness to take on defenders and provide a steady flow of possession to lone striker Jon Stead when making his debut in last weekend's 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium, his ability to time his arrival in the penalty area to perfection enabled him to register City's first away goal in eight games since December 30.
McInnes handed him a central role on his debut and Ephraim did enough to suggest he will line-up in a similar position against Derby.
"I think playing in behind the main striker is my best position and it was one I always played growing up as a youngster at West Ham," said Ephraim. "I also played there for England in the various youth teams and it is where I feel most at home.
"Of course, I'm happy to do a job on the left wing if it means helping the team out, but I prefer to be in the middle.
"I tend to see more of the ball in the middle of the park and that role enables me to attack the penalty area more often."
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