Caley Thistle manager John Robertson insists the Highlanders are relying on a loss of Dundee United form in order to pursue a serious Championship title race.
After wins over Dundee and Alloa Athletic, Inverness are within seven points of pacesetters United, but Robbie Neilson’s men still have a game in hand.
Caley Jags host third-placed Ayr United tomorrow, with United facing Alloa at Tannadice.
Robertson is intent on running the Arabs as close as possible, but knows the Tayside outfit may still leave their nearest challengers trailing.
Robertson said: “We only want to look up the way. We know the significance of the game, as do Ayr, but our thoughts should be on looking up the way.
“That is the aim of the game, to try and take the three points and keep the pressure on Dundee United. They’re setting a tremendous pace – and fair play to them.
“We’ve got to try to put a good run of wins together and try to close the gap and hang in there.
“At this moment it is entirely down to Dundee United’s form as to how tight a title race it will be.
“If you take them out of the equation, the rest of the league is pretty tight.
“United are where they are because of the volume of wins they have put together. If they keep that up to the end of the season, they will be worthy champions.
“The rest of us can only try to keep accumulating wins and try to hang on to the coat-tails of very good early pacesetters.”
Ayr, who lost 1-0 to Dunfermline on Tuesday, have the chance to overtake Caley Jags with a victory at Caledonian Stadium, but Robertson is intent on keeping up momentum.
He said: “It’s the old cliche – they are all big games but the fact it is second against third, with only a couple of points between us makes it even bigger.
“Ayr will want to win and leapfrog us back into second and we want to create a little gap. We’re building up nicely, with three clean sheets and three wins.
“We know what we need to do through to the end of the year. If the players continue to play as they have been in the last few weeks, we’ve every opportunity.”
Winger Tom Walsh is still sidelined for Inverness, with Robertson not setting a timescale for his return from a hamstring injury.
He added: “Our rule of thumb with the physios is once he’s fit to train he gets back to the training ground.
“I’m not one that constantly asks the physio how long will he be about. ”
Inverness beat Ayr on the way to the Championship play-off semi-finals last season, but were beaten over two legs by United.
