Nottingham Forest will be gunning to make up the gap on the top two when the season restarts, according to defender Michael Dawson.
The veteran centre-back has sent out a warning to Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion that automatic promotion isn’t secure yet.
And he is hopeful the Reds can close a 10-point gap in the final nine games, as the long period out of action means previous form will count for little.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position and we’re hunting West Brom and Leeds down,” Dawson told talkSPORT.
“They’ve got some big games coming up against play-off rivals - Brentford and Fulham. We all have to play them.
“It’s about who performs at this crucial time. We’ve had a long period off so form’s gone out the window.
“It’s just about hitting the ground running, like we did at the start of the season. In the first 11 games, we lost once (against the Baggies on the opening day) and then we were unbeaten in the next 10.
“That’s the kind of form you’re going to need if you’re going to hunt the top two teams down.”
Matches have been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Forest sat fifth in the table.
Leeds are out in front, 11 points ahead, with Albion in second spot.
Sabri Lamouchi’s men get their campaign back up and running with a trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
And Dawson is desperate to end a two-decade absence from the top-flight of English football.
“It’s a massive football club,” said the boyhood Reds fan.
“It’s been 21 years since Forest have been in the Premier League.
“I remember sitting in the A Block, sitting in the Trent End and watching them - watching Pierre van Hooijdonk and those kind of players in the Premier League.
“It’s been a long time.
“You have to earn the right to get back to the big time - because that’s what it is.”
