Espanyol have won just once in the last nine games and slipped to 16th place following last weekend's epic 4-3 defeat at home to promoted Numancia.

The Barcelona-based side are now only three points clear of the bottom three and face a tough trip to fellow strugglers Racing.

But Marquez remains unconcerned.

"We are three points from seventh, so the situation is not as complicated as some have suggested, although if you don't win games that distance between the teams can grow," he said today.

"In any case, if we win two games we will be in a safe area."

Having led 3-2 against Numancia, Espanyol lost out to a last-minute goal and Marquez believes his team need a little bit of luck to go their way.

"The first thing that has to change is our luck and also our decision-making, we need that something extra to start winning games," he said.

Midfielder Moises Hurtado knows Espanyol must do their talking on the pitch against Racing.

"The result is the only thing that matters," he said.

"We need cool heads to solve the things we are doing badly and if we can't do that on Sunday then people won't be happy.

"We need to talk less and show what we can do on Sunday."

Marquez makes just one change to the squad he selected for last week's game against Numancia, with Angel Martinez coming in for his injured namesake Roman Martinez in midfield.

Ivan De La Pena, Rufete, Nico Pareja and Marc Torrejon all remain sidelined.

Espanyol have won just once on the road this season and that success came back in September, when the Catalans edged out Recreativo Huelva 1-0 in Andalusia.

Racing have also had their problems this season.

The Cantabrian side sit two places above Espanyol, but are above their next rivals on goal difference alone.

Recent wins against Valencia and Sporting Gijon slightly eased the pressure on coach Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz, but last weekend's 3-1 defeat at Real Betis saw Racing drop back into the bottom half of the table.

Lopez Muniz now hopes his side can get back on track with a win.

"We need to play with intensity and get the three points, it's a good chance for us to move back up the table again," he said.

But the Racing coach believes Espanyol will be dangerous, despite their recent poor form.

"They have players like Luis Garcia, Coro and Nene, who can change the game in an instant, so we will have to be careful and try not to give the ball away," he said.

Luis Fernandez is sidelined with a long-term injury and Pablo Pinillos is suspended, but Lopez Muniz has an otherwise full-strength squad for the game.