Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has underlined the seriousness of the play-off challenge by declaring they have 24 “cup finals” left.

The Boxing Day clash at Bristol Rovers marks the halfway point of the season before the Saddlers entertain Norwich on Monday and Charlton on January 2.

Hutchings reckons the games will not define their season but admits every one is now huge for the 10th placed Saddlers, who lie three points outside League One’s top six.

He said: “They are cup finals and you need to win those cup finals if you want to get anywhere come the end of the season. If you expect this and that from the next three games and you don’t get it you put yourself under pressure, but there’s plenty of time to rectify it.

“There’s a lot to play for, but each game is only three points, people tend to forget that. It’s one game at a time – it’s a boring old cliché but every manager will be saying the same.

“We lost a couple but stopped the rot when we got a draw against Leyton Orient and could have won.  We’ve got to take the positives and go on another run.”

Despite a record of just one win over the nine teams above, Hutchings insists the Saddlers have nothing to fear against three of the division’s heavyweights.

He added: “We don’t fear any of the teams, we’re looking forward to it.”