Matty James hopes to play a pivotal role in Leicester City's promotion chase after his fabulous performance against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night.
The midfielder has been in and out of manager Nigel Pearson's starting line-up this season, but has been one of City's best performers in recent weeks.
The 21-year-old produced an all-action and committed display alongside Andy King in City's engine room as they came from behind to grab a vital win over the Trotters, courtesy of Jeff Schlupp's wonderful winner in the second half.
Now the former Manchester United trainee is targeting City's final three games as they look to secure a play-off spot.
"I just want to stay in the team as long as possible and cement my place," he said. "If I can keep doing that it would be great.
"I have been pleased with my performances over the last couple of weeks. I just want to keep improving. I am a young lad and I want to get better and better.
"It was a massive win for us. We have been unlucky in the last couple of games to concede last-minute goals and we all thought it might not be our day when they scored after a couple of minutes.
"But we dug in and showed some resilience and it was a good performance."
Schlupp fired the winner, but it was Lloyd Dyer who was the catalyst for the victory as he won the penalty for Chris Wood's penalty equaliser and then fired City ahead before half-time.
James believes City have the strike force to grab a play-off spot.
"It was a great strike from Jeff," he said. "Any of the front line could have done that. We were pressing forward and we were going to create a chance, it was a case of whether we took it. Jeff spotted it out of the sky and it was a great strike.
"Lloyd is a threat. He is so quick. It was a fantastic performance from him.
"He tired at the end but David Nugent came off the bench – and it is a great bench. You have to have these players ready.
"We created enough chances in the last three games but it is just against Bolton that we have taken our chances.
"If we do that, the form from earlier in the season will come back."
City now face play-off rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday, Watford a week tomorrow and finish with a trip to face Nottingham Forest.
James believes their fate is in their own hands. "Before the game we weren't worrying about anyone else and it remains we can't worry about anyone else," he said.
"Luckily, the results have gone for us and, hopefully, we will go to Palace, put in the same performance and get the three points."
