Caley Thistle interim manager Neil McCann believes his club has become the side no-one wants to play.
Inverness have rallied in the last week with back-to-back wins in the Scottish Championship, moving the Highlanders to within striking distance of the play-offs.
With six matches of their league campaign remaining, Caley Jags are firmly back in the hunt and McCann is looking for a strong finish from his side.
He said: “We’re stuck in the middle ground just now and we have aspirations here of being successful.
“Over the last few games a bit of belief has come into the team and I always felt when I came in while John (Robertson) took time out that the squad was good enough, but was maybe underperforming.
“In fact we have underperformed in one or two games since I came in and not done themselves justice, so it is pleasing we have a bit of that momentum going.
“I’m not so sure teams will want to play us now and it is a sign of how hard the players are working for each other.”
Arbroath visit Caledonian Stadium today and McCann has made no attempt to play down the significance of the match which has ramifications at both ends of the Championship table.
He said: “We’ve got a huge game. I believe this is a massive game for Inverness and the boys are fully aware of my thoughts on it.
“We’ll hopefully have one or two back from injury and there a few bruised and battered, but this is a massive game for the club. I hope the fans understand we recognise that.
“It’s about winning the game first and foremost. Without stating the obvious, if you win the game you step away from the lower end of the table and then you try to make ground on the ones above you.
“If you know me now, I’m not one for boring 0-0 draws. I go to try to win the game and we’ve gone with an aggressive set-up since I came in.”
The Red Lichties have rallied in 2021 and McCann knows Dick Campbell’s side will be a formidable challenge for his team this afternoon.
He said: “It will be difficult. I’ve watched four or five of their games and they are well organised. They had a great result against Hearts in their last game and I know their guys from my time coaching at Dunfermline.
“Dick and Ian are really thorough and I know how they work, but we’re confident after recording back-to-back league wins.
“Dick has had a brilliant career. Dick is quick to tell you has done a great job and won promotions, and rightfully so as he has had a brilliant career.
“He’s a big character in Scottish football as we know and I’ve had my run ins with him during my time at Dunfermline, I’m not going to lie, but he is a wily old fox and, along with Pink, they are a good double team who organise their sides well for football matches.”
