Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says his team will need to be at their best if they are to sustain their promotion challenge.
Four of the Black Cats' nine remaining league games are against teams currently in the top 10 - they face fellow play off contenders Coventry City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
"These games are so tight, so difficult, that if we are not in our best shape, we will fail," Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"It's very important to build strong momentum in this last month and I think it's possible.