Derby County's Jason Knight believes the festive period could be huge for the Rams as they aim to climb the Sky Bet Championship table.
Derby sit in 16th position, but are only nine points off the play-off places heading into a schedule of four league games in 12 days.
With plenty of points to play for in this period especially, young midfielder Knight believes it is a perfect opportunity for the Rams to take advantage and rise up the league.
Derby head to Reading this weekend before a trip to the DW Stadium to face Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day.
They then face two home fixtures, where the Rams have only lost once in 10 games, against Charlton Athletic and Barnsley either side of the New Year.
“We definitely want to be going into 2020 with a few more positive results behind us and that is down to us now, starting Saturday at Reading and then on Boxing Day at Wigan,” Knight told RamsTV.
“There is definitely that will to do well and to win in the team, it is just showing that every week and hopefully we will get the result.”
The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has featured a number of times for the Rams since manager Phillip Cocu gave him his professional debut in the opening day win against Huddersfield Town.
The 18-year-old has made a total of 12 appearances for Derby this season and is learning every day in training and with every game he plays.
“You have to have that confidence in yourself that if you are put in then you are going to be good enough,” he said. “It is just about showing that every week when you get your chance.
“It is difficult sometimes when you find yourself out the squad or out the team, but it is just how you deal with that. It is about working hard to try and get back and get another chance.
“You have to keep doing well for whatever age-group you are playing for and then when you come back up you have to make it count.”
And heading into the new decade has already set some aims. “I think it is just to confirm myself as a regular in the first team here and then internationally play as much as I can for the Under-21s and see where that takes me,” he commented.
