The Simon Garner column

BLACKBURN Rovers are entering a 'make or break' period in their troubled season.

Over the next four weeks, Mark Hughes' side face a run of five games against sides in the bottom half of the Premiership.

And if they don't want to be stranded in the bottom three over Christmas then they need to pick up at least eight points from the next 15.

That's going to be a tall order for a team who have amassed only eight points all season.

But if Rovers think positively enough then I believe it's not an unrealistic target.

That five game sequence starts at Manchester City tomorrow, where a point would be a good return for Hughes and his players.

City are no pushovers these days under Kevin Keegan, a fact borne out by their battling draw in the Manchester derby last weekend.

They will always score goals but they have a habit of conceding them, too, even though they appear to have tightened up considerably at the back this season.

A draw would, therefore, be a good result for Rovers as it would stretch their unbeaten run to three games.

Then it's Birmingham City at Ewood, where Hughes and his players have got to be looking to pick up only their second win of the season.

A lot was expected of the Blues this year but they haven't made the best of starts and the loss of Mikael Forssell through injury has been a major blow to them.

The fact they've struggled underlines just how tough a playground the Premier League can be.

David Dunn and Dwight Yorke will both be fired up to put one over their former club but if Rovers are to get themselves out of the mire then they've got to start winning at home.

Fulham away is the next stop after that and in my opinion that's the most difficult of the five matches.

Chris Coleman's side have just hit a purple patch, scoring four times in each of their last two games.

And what price Andy Cole haunting his old club with a couple of goals?

If we emerge with a point from that one then I think we'll have done well.

Then we're into December - always a crucial month in the football calendar.

Tottenham Hotspur visit on the fourth for a Sky game and Rovers should see it as a great opportunity to pick up three points.

Spurs are currently going through a transitional period in the wake of Jacques Santini's shock departure and they never seem to travel well.

Attacking wise, they've got some fantastic players in the shape of Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane.

But they often look like a team of individuals rather than a strong, cohesive unit so if Rovers get at them early then I can see a home win.

The final game of the quintet sees Rovers travel to Crystal Palace and I see that as another golden opportunity to pick up a win.

The Eagles are enjoying something of a mini revival at the moment but they rely heavily on their leading scorer Andy Johnson, and if he's not firing then there's little else to worry about.

Rovers have got more quality than Palace so it's all about matching their effort and commitment and making sure we're as well organised as Iain Dowie will have his players.

But I'm quietly optimistic that the next five games will point the way towards safety.

Psychologically, it would be a massive boost if we hauled ourselves out of the relegation zone before Christmas because the last place you want to be on Christmas Day is bottom of the table.