Leicester City defender Zak Whitbread believes his side need to "stay in the hunt" for promotion over the busy festive period.
City slipped to fifth in the Championship following their 2-2 draw with Barnsley, but remain just four points off Crystal Palace and the automatic promotion places.
Nigel Pearson's men now face a run of four tough games in December, including three away trips to Millwall, Hull and Burnley and a home clash with top-of-the-table Cardiff.
"We have to stay in the hunt for promotion," said 28-year-old Whitbread.
"It is a busy period and an important time of year. If you can get a run going over Christmas, who knows where that can take us.
"But there is a long way to go. No-one is going to win the league at the end of those four games.
"If you pick up points in a short space of time with the games coming thick and fast, then that is great for your confidence going into the second half of the season.
"We will be looking to win every game. They are tough games but they won't decide our season.
"But we want to be in there challenging and kicking on in the second half of the season."
Whitbread is no stranger to the English top flight.
He was a key figure in Norwich's promotion two seasons ago, which saw them achieve back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
After 21 games, Paul Lambert's men sat in sixth place on 33 points. But three wins out of four in December and a 1-0 victory over eventual champions QPR on New Year's Day, saw them come out of the festive period in third, one point behind second with a game in hand.
They duly won the game in hand two days later to take them into the automatic promotion places.
City are currently fifth after the same number of games with a total of 37 points.
"We are in a good position because, when you are just behind the front two, it is probably a bit easier," said Whitbread.
"The pressure is on the top two more. It is interesting to see how the media turn their attentions to the top two and those just below can get on with their own thing.
"You have to be able to handle it if you are top two, but it brings its own pressures. When I was at Norwich no-one gave us a whisper and we quietly got on a little run and got there.
"Look at Reading last season, they were under the radar and had a good pop at it."
