United left back Anthony Tonkin believes it’s a crucial time of the season coming up – and one which will have a major say in who goes up.

In five of the next eight weeks, the U’s have midweek matches, making it 13 games in 55 days.

And the five games in the next 15 days will be key.

“It’s an important period now and we’ve got a lot of games coming up in this period,” said Tonkin.

“Once we get through this period, it should show which teams are going to be in and around the play-offs and the automatic spots.”

He added: “It’s good to be playing games, but the benefit of League Two, I found, is that you don’t play so many midweek games and it gives you more time to recover.

“Sometimes when you’re playing Saturdays and Tuesdays, you pick up little knocks that you have to play with in the game, whereas if you’ve got a whole week between it does make you fresher.”

Chris Wilder said: “It’s about getting through the games one after the other.

“From a coaching point of view, there’s not much time to prepare for each game. But the players are confident, we’ll keep doing it game by game.

“We’ll never get ahead of ourselves. The players are playing with a lot of confidence, and a lot of freedom. Also, the group is really together, which is important.

“As always, we have to be ready for injuries and suspensions.”

Tonkin, back as a regular in the side, feels dropping out of the team did him no harm.

“I think for a couple of games I didn’t play that well,” he said candidly. “Rotherham away was my last game. Defensively I was a bit disappointed by the way I played.

“I don’t think it’s done me any harm, but I think almost everyone in the squad, apart from Ryan Clarke, has been in and out of the team.

“With strong competition you get that, it’s about keeping everyone fresh.

“But if you go out of the team, you have to work hard to get back in.

“And that’s the same for everyone.”