Blackburn Rovers defender Stephen Warnock insists it's vital the club embark on another long unbeaten run as they prepare to enter the most crucial month of the season so far.

Tomorrow's clash with Newcastle is the first seven games in December, four of which are at home, and the former Liverpool full-back believes it's the start of a make-or-break period.

"It's a big time for us. It's going to be hard physically because we haven't got a squad to match Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United but, then, not many of the clubs around us have either.

"We are probably all on an even keel in that respect, in terms of the fact we haven't got squads where we can rest people and bring others in who are possibly even better players than the ones who are in the team at the time.

"So it's a massive time for us but we know that we can pick up points from the games that we've got.

"We need to put another run together like the one we went on after we got beat by Chelsea last season and go maybe 10 or 12 games unbeaten.

"We are very capable of doing that, and we know that."

Without a win in the four games since Hughes was named manager of the month for October, Warnock and his team-mates know they must become tighter defensively and more clinical up front if they are to rediscover their form from earlier in the season.

He added: "It's all very well being attacking and entertaining but we need to shut up shop as well.

"We've got to learn how to win games. Take the game the other day at Fulham - we should have been four or five nil up before they got the penalty.

"The good thing is we are getting into the right positions and the people who are missing the chances are still getting in there in the next game.

"Sometimes you have games where the chances just don't go in.

"But we're still creating the chances and we are playing good football, and we still believe we can win every game we go into."