Norwich City vs Blackburn Rovers: Kenny McLean preview

The Scottish international has literally been central to two title-winning campaigns in the division, claiming the Mr Reliable tag over the course of nearly six years in yellow and green.

His insight is invaluable when it comes to a promotion push, but it doesn't take a genius to recognise the importance of good form at this stage of the season.

That's McLean's verdict ahead of a crucial trip to face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, with the Canaries trailing the top six by just three points and under pressure to win in Lancashire.

"You don't need to have been there and done it to know that momentum in this league is massive," he said. "We've always said that we need to put a really good run together at one point, and that's what we're doing now.

"We had the slight hiccup at QPR, but didn't lose the game. There are points earlier on in the season that we feel we've let go, and it's about getting them back now.

"I think that's what we're doing. We need to accumulate as many points as we can to give ourselves the best chance.

"We've just had a run against teams around and about us, and those are the games that you need to win if you want to put yourself in the mix. We've done that, so we need to kick on again."

David Wagner's men have had a rare week to prepare for the game, with the league's relentless grind briefly ceasing to allow them to focus on what's needed in the final 13 games of the campaign.

McLean can feel the benefits of that, and has encouraged his team-mates to extend the trends that have them undefeated in February.

"We've had a lot of work on the training pitch," he continued. "Normally it's a case of come in, recover and go again, so it's tough to really look back on what we've been doing or look ahead much to the next game.

"It's so thick and fast, but we've obviously looked over the games that we've played in and what's been so good about what we've been doing.

"We'll continue to work on that, look at some stuff that we can improve on, and just keep trying to improve on the training pitch every day."

That push to improve is a constant one for McLean, even if he appears to need it the least at present. While quietly impressive throughout his time at Norwich, the former Aberdeen midfielder has come into the mainstream as a key man this term.

He doesn't compare performances to previous seasons, however, and is just keen to keep the progression going.

McLean still strives to improve his game (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

"I feel like I've been pretty consistent in my performances," he said. "Obviously at the start of the season nobody was hitting the highs that they can. We went through a spell where everybody was performing under par, to be honest.

"But I think since the upturn in form everybody's taken their game to a new level. I feel good, I feel, at the young age of 32, as fit as I ever have done.

"I feel like I'm getting about, doing as much work as I ever have. I feel like with the ball just now I'm making an impact on the game as well.

"I don't really compare it to previous seasons, because I just always want to keep improving, no matter what age I am. I don't really look back and say, 'I've done better this year than that previous year', or whatever.

"I just want to keep getting better and do as much as I can for the team. That's what I'll always do."

Wagner said in his pre-match press conference that he "doesn't care" what the teams around Norwich are doing, but McLean admitted that the temptation is too great for him to avoid.

With pressure increasing from Coventry, Hull, Preston and others, City know every game is an opportunity. They might be tuned into the outside world, but they're focused on what they can do to affect things.

"Saying that you don't check the scores or whatever, of course you do," McLean admitted. "It's natural, it's normal to do that.

"But we know that if we do our own job and we do what we've been doing recently then we give ourselves the best possible chance. We don't want to rely on teams dropping points or losing games.

"If we do our job we know we're going to be there or thereabouts, and that's the main thing. We've got to take responsibility for what we do."