Ross County defender Harry Clarke insists he is only looking up the Premiership table.
The Staggies face bottom-placed St Johnstone, who trail them by only a point, in a crunch encounter at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday.
A victory for Malky Mackay’s men could move them up to ninth, depending on St Mirren’s result against Celtic.
Clarke is intent on using the four remaining matches before the winter break to advance up the table.
He said: “This game is a big one, obviously – our game in hand.
“If we can get the three points down there it puts us in a good place and a lot of momentum, especially going to Hearts on Boxing Day.
“I wouldn’t say there’s added pressure – it is more of an opportunity.
“They’re bottom and we’re a point ahead. It is a massive opportunity for us to pull away from them.
“Personally, I’m not really looking at them. I’m eyeing up the boys in mid-table and hopefully chasing them now, rather than running away.”
The Staggies have shown improved form in recent weeks, with only two losses from their last eight matches.
Clarke is eager to show a more ruthless edge to see out matches with the Staggies having lost late goals in their last two games against Celtic and Livingston.
He added: “I’ve always felt we were playing well. It was just results weren’t really going our way.
“It is just those tiny little details where we’ve improved.
“Losing two in the last minute of the last two games isn’t ideal.
“We’ve got to start seeing them out, but we’ve got another game Wednesday to put it right.”
“There’s a number of things we can do. Firstly, we had a few chances we could have put away and we can look to see the game out better – a bit of gamesmanship, as well, slowing the game down without getting booked.
“The main one for me is killing the game and getting that two goals ahead – it makes it much easier.”
Clarke keen to show his flexibility
On-loan Arsenal player Clarke has been a standout performer for County this term, having recently enjoyed a run of matches at right back.
The 20-year-old was shifted to centre half for the 1-1 draw with Livingston on Saturday however.
Clarke insists he is comfortable to make any shift, adding: “I’m naturally a centre-back, until I came up here. It was a smooth transition really.
“It doesn’t really affect me mentally.
“I don’t know the reasons and wasn’t interested in questioning it – I just get on with it.
“As long as I’m on the pitch, I’ll do the best I can.
“At times, Jack Baldwin was pulling me in and reminding me – I wanted to do a few overlaps.
“I have enjoyed it at right-back. It gives me the license to get forward and do things at the other end, and show my pace as well.
“That’s obviously harder to do at centre-back.
“There’s a good flexibility among all of the defenders, such Connor Randall, Keith Watson and a few of the other boys.”
