Eddie Patterson knows the mathematics. The Cliftonville manager, however, is determined that permutations, scenarios and calculations won’t be mentioned when it comes down to the crux when the top six splits from the bottom half dozen in the Irish FA Premiership.

Glentoran, Linfield, Crusaders and Lisburn Distillery have their places guaranteed. A single point from their next two outings will ensure that Coleraine join them, but the task is a little bit harder for Patterson’s Reds.

If they want to play with the big boys in April and early May, then four points must be collected or Institute may pip them for the final place.

Patterson isn’t concerning himself with what the Reds need in order to ensure five big games at the end of the season, instead he simply has his sights set on a maximum haul of six points.

“We know what we need to do if we want to be in the top six and that is the minimum I will look for over the next two games,” said Patterson.

“What we’ll be looking for though is two wins and I will only look at other scenarios if we don’t get that.

“The last thing we want is to start saying we need to do this or we need to that and then not doing it and relying on favours from other teams to see us through.

“Institute have three games to play and they will be going all out to win them all, just like we are with two games left.”

This afternoon the Reds face a north-Belfast derby battle with Crusaders that may well determine to a large extent where Cliftonville are playing their football next month.

Victory would go a long way to helping them make sure of that top-six place they crave, while defeat would leave them vulnerable.

Patterson, however, is determined that the passion of a derby fixture will motivate the players to make sure that they have another in a few weeks time.

“The incentive is there to make sure that we are playing against the top teams in the closing weeks of the season,” said Patterson.

“Those are the games that players want to be involved in and I want to be leading my team into as well.

“Of course we want to be going up against Glentoran and Linfield in games that could impact on the title race and have another derby with Crusaders as well.

“The best way to make sure that is the case is to beat Crusaders this time.”

Patterson will have to do that without his leading goalscorer and talisman Chris Scannell, while his strike-partner Mark Holland is also ruled out.

Centre-half Declan O’Hara is a major fitness doubt for the Reds as well.