Head coach Slavisa Jokanovic played a straight bat when he reckoned Fulham were anything but safe despite a 2-1 win at Preston - but his opposite number was far more vocal about the winners.
Simon Grayson, like the rest of the Championship, is mystified Fulham are only now seven points clear of the relegation places.
The North End gaffer had to suffer goals from Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele - like quite a few before him with the lethal pair accounting for 37 of Fulham's 61 league goals this season.
"McCormack and Dembele are the hottest property in the division but they are down near the bottom for a reason," Grayson said. "They haven't got all the components right and massively underachieved, they should be nowhere near the bottom four or five."
Mac the Attack rounded the keeper for 1-0 before latecomers had taken their seats, but then Preston levelled. McCormack's shot proved too hot to handle on 74 minutes - and there was Dembele to gobble up the rebound.
All of which was greeted with characteristic stoicism from the boss.
"We are not safe. With six games in front of us, now it's six points we don't have reason to think about a holiday," said Jokanovic.
"We need to do much for our away supporters who travel with us and push us towards safety.
"It's not time for holiday; we need to give these people something back because we haven't given them too many happy afternoons. We can fix that in these six games ahead of us.
"In this situation that we are in the only important thing for us is the points."
Dembele's strike was Fulham's 29th away goal this season - a league high. And Jokanovic admits his side's attacking talents are getting them out of trouble.
"We didn't play a brilliant game but we play like a team and in the end we were a little bit lucky and we had the quality in front of goal for scoring the goals that we always make," he added.
"This is Fulham. We have our strengths and weakness and one of the strengths is the more offensive players.
"Ross and Moussa give us many many points and many goals. Preston pressed and were very solid and very strong.
"It was good for us to be solid. We were fighting all together and we find the points we need which is more important at the moment for us."
