Birmingham City's scorned players will not be short of motivation when Middlesbrough try to gatecrash their festive celebrations at St Andrew's today.
Blues are just one point above the relegation zone and manager Alex McLeish has already warned that some of the team who lost so poorly at Bolton Wanderers last weekend might pay with their places on Boxing Day.
But, according to Gary McSheffrey, he and his team-mates approach two 'must-win' home games in four days looking to restore some of the pride they lost at Reebok Stadium when they matched the hosts only to gift them the points with three late defensive lapses.
The winger concedes that has left Blues in a perilous position, a fact that imbues today's visit from Boro and Saturday's appointment with Fulham, with immense significance.
"These two games are crucial," McSheffrey said. "We are in a bad position in the table. We have got to make sure we realise that and put in right in the next two home games.
"It's not a case of the lads repaying any gestures because we've had Christmas Day off, it's a case of the lads wanting to be on it anyway and being professional because it is a must-win game for us.
"The lads were disappointed at Bolton but it is gone, we have lost, we can't dwell on it, we have to move on to these two crucial home games.
"We are at home we have to take advantage of that. They will see the goals we conceded at Bolton and will be confident they can score against us. But at the same time they are down there as well so we will be confident we can score against them."
To aid that process McLeish will probably opt to restore Mikael Forssell in a 4-4-2 formation with Johan Djourou's place most under threat after a slipshod display in central midfield.
Daniel de Ridder, left out of the match squad at Bolton for tactical reasons, will also come back into contention but perhaps the biggest boost is the return from suspension of skipper Liam Ridgewell who will partner either Radhi Jaidi or Raphael Schmitz in central defence.
Whoever plays at the back will have to make sure they do not commit the sort of mistakes that have blighted Blues in their last three outings. Even ultra-reliable Stephen Kelly committed a rare error last Saturday.
McSheffrey maintains for most of that match Birmingham were the home team's equal.
"It was a fairly even contest but a couple of gifts meant we were punished," he said. "There weren't many positives to take from it. For 70 minutes it was even, neither team was really going for it, both were comfortable.
"It looks like a real doing but after 70 minutes it was a dead game. Those are the sort of games that you have to come away with something."
McLeish has certainly been keen to impress upon his men the need for a strong response this afternoon.
"We have got to bounce back and we have got to pick people up very quickly," the manager said. "But they have also got to pick themselves up, they have to realise in this business you need that gutsiness and determination to fight back.
"I can't leave every player out but certainly we have got to stop making errors."
