Blackburn Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has revealed that his side haven't given up on securing automatic promotion even though they aren't thinking about the top two at this stage, speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph.
Rovers secured an excellent 1-0 victory against Sheffield United at the weekend, something that has helped them to continue building their momentum as they look to solidify their place in the promotion mix.
After missing out on the top six last term, there will be no shortage of hunger to ensure they find themselves there when this campaign ends, though many will feel the play-offs is the best they can hope for at this stage considering how formidable the Blades, Burnley and Middlesbrough have been for much of the season.
Only two points adrift of Boro and six points off United at this stage though, they are firmly in the automatic promotion race and the momentum is certainly in their favour to close that gap further and potentially make it a four or five-horse race for second spot.
This is an impressive achievement for a side that experienced a lot of changes last summer with former captain Darragh Lenihan and ex-boss Tony Mowbray both leaving.
And Tomasson hasn't given up on the dream of securing a top-two place, even though he isn't thinking about it too much at this point.
He said: "There is a second spot in the league, we are not looking at that. We all know that we should not be around that position, but we are always allowed to dream and we will chase every moment.
"As I’ve said before, if we don’t manage to get to the play-offs then we won’t be disappointed because we are realistic about where we are as a club to be sustainable over time."
The Verdict:
There isn't much pressure on Rovers because there weren't very high expectations of them coming into the season, especially when you consider the adversity they faced.
Not only did they lose Lenihan and Mowbray - but they also saw regular starters Ryan Nyambe and Joe Rothwell depart Ewood Park with new faces Tomasson and Greg Broughton coming in.
They also did a lot of their summer transfer business during the latter stages of the window and endured a very poor January, so the fact they are in their current position has to be commended.
Due to their inconsistency during some parts of the campaign, Tomasson has come under fire at times but he should be receiving a lot of praise for his work, because it wouldn't have been easy to fill Mowbray's shoes.
The current Sunderland boss is a fondly remembered figure at Ewood Park - but Tomasson is beginning to put his stamp on the club and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him poached by another club if he can continue impressing in Lancashire.