Town boss Mick McCarthy admits that the Blues have two tough games over the Christmas period. Today’s home match against second-placed Middlesbrough is followed by a trip to Brentford, who are currently just one point and one place behind the Blues in fifth, on Boxing Day.
"There are two really tough fixtures over Christmas starting with Middlesbrough,” he said.
"The two games are against two of the best teams in the league. I think two of the teams, who are like us and put a shift in.
"I keep saying that and people think ‘Put a shift in?’ like it’s a dirty word. When you don’t put a shift in you get beaten, and that’s been proven and that’s why Brentford and Middlesbrough are up where they are because they’re two tough teams, good teams but tough.”
Looking longer term, those matches are followed by visits from Charlton and third-placed Derby with the FA Cup tie at Southampton in between.
Despite facing two sides also in the top five, McCarthy doesn’t expect the results in the four league matches to define Town’s season.
"Our next four games will have a real bearing on where we’re going to end up in the next month," he said. "But as to the end of the season, I’ve no idea.
"As has been proved with a lot of teams, you can have a relatively bad month, then you can have a good one and you move up and down.
"But they are important, of course they are. Let’s take the first one, let’s see if we can get to the top of the league before Christmas, it would be great.”
Several of McCarthy’s players have recently spoken about the excellent team spirit at Town, most recently Paul Anderson, and the Blues boss believes it’s integral to bringing success to a club.
"That team spirit is something that I insist on really and build and try and create and generate,” he said.
"I think if you get a successful team then it’s a lot easier to have a good team spirit. That was building from two years ago and it’s got better and better.
"I’ve had good teams and the ones that have had good team spirit have usually been successful, whether that’s winning the league at Sunderland or Wolves or getting to the last 16 of the World Cup with Ireland.
"You don’t get it if you’ve got a bad atmosphere in a squad, let me tell you that.”