Durm believer! Erik’s positive ahead of ‘final’

in Brazil - insists Wagner has not been outwardly affected by Town’s losing nine-match run, which he is determined to help end in the clash with Cardiff City today.

“I was with the coach at Dortmund in more or less the same situation with the second team,” explained Durm, whose contract is coming up for renewal.

“He always stayed the same, he was always positive.

“He focused on every game and gave us good analysis of the opposition.”

Durm says three points against Cardiff City in today’s crucial Premier Leaguer clash would be a huge tonic.

“The game is like a final – all the game in the season are now like final games,” he explained.

“It’s a very important game and we are being positive, we will try to give our best and try to get three points.

“We know what will come and we are prepared, but we want the three points. A win in Cardiff would be massive for us.

“It was a draw the first time we played them, so we will look to score and we will try to beat them – then we will be only five points behind.

“A win would change a lot, not just in the table but in our happiness. It’s so much better when you win games!”

Wagner, meanwhile, says Town are in no mood to throw in the towel in terms of Premier League survival.

The German head coach and his squad have been hurt by a run of nine successive defeats in all competitions. It has left them with 17 matches in which to save their top-flight skins, and Wagner says that’s too exciting a prospect to pass up – even if the odds are stacked massively against them as Town head to Cardiff City.

With Town on only 10 points and needing to close an eight-point gap to safety, Wagner explained: “Obviously it’s a huge challenge and, statistically, no-one has done this before from where we are.

“But we have show in the past that stats are interesting, but they don’t always tell the truth.

“We have an unbelievably difficult challenge in front of us but I still have the belief that we have a chance.

“As long as we have the chance, I think it makes absolute sense to fight for it.” Neil Warnock’s Cardiff are fourth from bottom, one of three clubs on 18 points, and whatever happens in Wales, Town can’t climb off the foot of the table. But an upturn in fortunes has to start somewhere, a point not lost on Wagner.

“As long as you don’t have a winning feeling, the more desperate you get,” he said. “This is why this is a very important game for us.

“It’s a game which we have to win and it’s a game which can affect our season.”

We want the three points – a win in Cardiff would be

massive for us