Gibraltar boss Julio Ribas is refusing to be taken in by the Republic of Ireland's mounting problems as he looks for a famous victory.
The 66-year-old Uruguayan will send his side into Euro 2024 qualifier battle against their Group B rivals in Faro on Monday evening still seeking a first point, but only three worse off than Stephen Kenny's men having played a game fewer.
Ireland's timid 2-0 home defeat by Greece on Friday ended their mathematical hopes of automatic qualification and left Kenny facing a fresh tide of criticism despite assurances that he will remain in post until the end of campaign next month, and anything other than a comprehensive win at the Estadio Algarve could prompt a rethink.
However, asked if Gibraltar could cash in on the Republic's poor run of form, Ribas said: "Obviously I don't think that way, I have to prepare my players for 94 to 100 minutes.
"The players need to prepare themselves to think that way and we will see if the result will come.
"I am not going to sit here and predict the future, we have to prepare for the game and that's 100% what we are thinking about now, not the result."
Ireland made hard work of beating Gibraltar 3-0 at the Aviva Stadium in June, when it took second-half goals from substitutes Mikey Johnston and Adam Idah either side of Evan Ferguson's strike to secure the points.
The European minnows were similarly dogged when the sides last met during Euro 2020 qualification when Jeff Hendrick's strike clinched a 1-0 win on the artificial pitch at the Victoria Stadium before Joseph Chipolina's own goal and a late Robbie Brady effort earned a 2-0 victory in Dublin.
Asked if this was the best chance yet for his team to get a result against Ireland, Ribas said: "As I said before and have always said, Ireland are a very good team with a good coaching staff behind them.
"I don't believe in teams going through, so to speak, bad moments because they are always one result away from turning it around. We have a huge amount of respect as a team and and as a nation.
"But for us, as with any game we go into, it's a final for us. We take it one game at a time as we look for that result, as we did and we have achieved in the past, and we hope one day sooner or later, we get another one, a result on that level."
Gibraltar are yet to score a single goal in their five games to date and lost 4-0 to Wales in a friendly on Wednesday evening.
Watch Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland in Euro 2024 qualifying on Monday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live radio commentary on 2fm's Game On
