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Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira says he is “feeling the pressure” but is “convinced” his side can turn around their poor form.
The Eagles have won one of their last 13 Premier League matches and are three points above the relegation places.
They travel to Brighton on Wednesday, having not had a shot on target in their last three defeats.
“The table doesn’t lie, we need to win games,” said Vieira. “We need to play in a better way and to score goals.”
Just five points separate the bottom nine teams in the league, from Palace in 12th to bottom club Southampton.
“We have the quality to improve our game,” the Frenchman added.
“I’m feeling the pressure like the other nine managers in the table. This is part of the game.”
In Vieira’s first season as manager of Palace, he was praised for the attractive style of football his side produced, but a lack of goals in this campaign – just 21 and the joint second lowest – means they have struggled to turn good performances into points
“When you do well in the first season people expect you to keep improving but it’s not always the case”, Vieira said.
“It’s important to understand where we are, what we want to achieve and the direction we want to go. It will take time to be consistent and this is why it’s important for us [the football club] to remain calm, and to keep working and believing in the players we have in the building.
“I’m convinced with the way we are working, with myself as a manager, I’m convinced with the players I am working with every day, when you look at their attitude and the hard work they showed against City there is no question on that side.
“It’s about improving the squad, finding combinations to allow ourselves to create chances to score those goals. I know who we are as a football club, as a team, we will put our head down and keep fighting and working hard.”
‘We’ll do everything to keep Zaha’
Wilfried Zaha’s contract expires at the end of this season and the 30-year-old forward has not yet decided what to do about his future.
“We do what we can and everybody knows we want to keep Wilfried in our football club, but it will be his decision. We are waiting to see what he wants to do. On our side, we’ll do everything to keep him at the football club”, Vieira said.
“He is committed every single day. What will happen after, that is going to be his decision and this is something we can’t control.
“I believe the club is doing what it can to keep him and he knows how much the club loves him, he knows how much the fans love him.
“Now everything is in his hands and he has to make a decision, and the decision will be when he will be ready to give it.
“What I’m seeing of him every day in training… I’m happy with it.”
