Alex McLeish has backed his Birmingham City team to get even better as they head into the most crucial stage of their Premier League season.
Blues' manager says he is content with the first two displays under his stewardship and plans to show his squad a re-run of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United to try to convince them they can retain their top-flight status.
While Birmingham won their first game under the Scotsman when Sebastian Larsson's injury-time winner gave them a 3-2 victory against Tottenham Hotspur, they conceded a late goal to lose 2-1 at St James' Park last weekend.
But McLeish felt City deserved at least a point in the North-east and will be hoping for better on Saturday when Reading visit St Andrew's for what will be the new manager's first match in front of his own fans.
That game marks the start of an inviting sequence of games against four teams in the bottom half of the table. A trip to Bolton Wanderers, three days before Christmas, follows the visit of Steve Coppell's men with Middlesbrough and Fulham also due in the Midlands before the New Year.
Armed with the proof that Birmingham are more than a match for established Barclays Premier League opposition, McLeish says he senses a burgeoning belief among his troops.
"I don't think looking at the other teams gives me confidence. What gives me confidence is looking at our players and seeing how far they have come in the last two games and I think they can do even better," he said. "Certainly in last week's game [against Tottenham Hotspur] and the preparation before the Newcastle game, we went into it with much more belief. With a little bit more time working with them in training, we can do even better.
"The evidence is there in the game and on the video. We'll show them Saturday's game again and the proof is there for them. They are entitled to think they are improving and they can improve further."
But he will also warn his players that Coppell, Gary Megson, Gareth Southgate and Lawrie Sanchez will be saying the same thing. Reading will be buoyed by their 3-1 beating of a full-strength Liverpool team while Bolton haven't lost in eight games under former West Bromwich Albion manager Megson. They too will be looking at an appointment with Birmingham as an opportunity to move clear of the relegation places.
" Every team will be saying the same thing [2014] these are the games they must also win," McLeish warned.
"The challenge is there but we have got to be confident we can handle these games. With the performances I have seen in the last two weeks, I have great belief in the players.
"There are a lot of teams of similar standing. There are one or two that are pretty much international or world-class, then there is a fight with a lot of other teams [2014] we have got to make sure we are at the top of that group.
"If we believe in ourselves and keep on working on passing the ball the way we did at Newcastle and get even better at that, we will be a threat further forward.
"We have got guys like Mikael Forssell coming back and Olivier Kapo, who showed flashes of his brilliance at Newcastle. I think we will be OK."
Birmingham's cause will not be helped by the fact that Mehdi Nafti picked up his fifth yellow card of the season at the weekend and will now miss the Reading fixture.
That could mean a recall for Damien Johnson, who is fit for the first time in eight months after several hamstring problems.
Although the Northern Ireland international
thought his nightmare was over when he appeared in the Carling Cup loss at Blackburn Rovers in September, he broke down again and has not played since. However, he has had two full reserve-team games and could now step straight back into the side against Reading.
Alternatively McLeish could opt to play four in midfield, with Larsson teaming up with Fabrice Muamba, going with a second striker to partner the in-form Cameron Jerome.
He will also hope to have Johan Djourou fit again after the central defender picked up a groin problem and missed the Newcastle game.
McLeish has already contacted Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger about taking the Swiss international on loan for the rest of the season, although concerns over the pedigree of Philippe Senderos and his ability to fill in when Kolo Toure goes to the African Nations Cup next month won't help McLeish's cause.
It seems doubtful, however, that he will call on Martin Taylor to fill in at the back. The centre-half's loan stay with Norwich City ended last Saturday and the Blues manager will meet with his agent this week to discuss the 28-year-old's future.
Birmingham have already turned down a bid from Queens Park Rangers while Norwich boss Glenn Roeder says he wants to extend the former Blackburn Rovers man's stay.
Krystian Pearce's loan spell at Notts County has been extended until January 12.
