Kris Commons reckons starting another good Championship run will be just the tonic to get Derby back up and battling at the upper end of the table.

The Rams won their midweek Carling Cup game against Leeds United but their last outing in the league saw them suffer a setback with a 3-0 defeat at Reading.

However it was only their second defeat in 13 games and another good sequence of results will go down very nicely - beginning with Saturday's visit of Sheffield Wednesday to Pride Park Stadium.

"Hopefully we can put another good run together and keep ourselves there or thereabouts," winger Commons said.

"If you can put a really strong run together, especially around the turn of the year, you can be well in with a shout at the top end.

"We have had a lot of games lately and not a lot of time to rest with some mixed emotions as getting through in the cup was nice but losing at Reading was a downer.

"It is important we get back into the frame of mind of winning points and keeping ourselves in with the pack."