Nigel Clough is remaining light-tipped on Burton Albion's prospects of putting a good run together off the back of that first away win of the season at Millwall before the international break.

The Brewers' manager was noncommittal when asked about whether his side's upcoming fixtures offered them the chance to put a run together and build on their 1-0 win at the Den.

Albion now enter a crucial period in their race to beat the drop to League One yet again, and with second-placed Sheffield United up next followed by a trip to a strong Brentford side, it looks like another difficult period coming up on paper.

But that Millwall victory could spark a run of good form - and how the Brewers could use it given their next six fixtures includes matches against two of the three teams below them, manager-less Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers

"You never know," Clough said with a wry smile when he was asked of his side's chances against their upcoming opposition.

"Brentford are in great form at the monent. They're nine unbeaten or something like that.

"They're one of those teams - and we saw it in the second-half last season - when they click, they can beat anybody.

"Sunderland, if they've got a new manager we might just cop for that at the wrong time - you never know.

Ipswich Town celebrate their fourth goal in the 5-2 win over Sunderland

"But I don't think anybody expected to see them were they are at the moment."

The likes of Sheffield United, Brentford and Derby County will ask serious questions of the Brewers, yet the visit of rock-bottom Sunderland and a free-falling Preston North End side are games that Clough will surely fancy his side's chances of getting something from.

Yet he and Burton have already been burnt at home this term, with those back-to-back home losses against Ipswich Town and Barnsley last month leaving a sour taste.

And while the manager knows that nothing is guaranteed - not least in the Championship - his side have a serious chance to be in a good position heading into a brutal festive period, despite their run of tough games.

Connor Ripley can do nothing to keep out Bersant Celina's late free-kick winner for Ipswich Town

He wanted his side to be in touching distance of having a point per game played, with 46 points, coupled with a win or two against fellow strugglers, the ideal target for sides looking to stay up.

And that is why the upcoming home games against the likes of Sunderland and Preston are so welcome - those games are the ones that Burton need to be winning to give themselves a chance of staying in the division.

The Brewers are currently 21st, with 13 points from 16 games played.

"I think our aim between now and Christmas is to get back to that point per-game-ratio," he added.

"We're three points off it, and we have an opportunity between now and the Christmas game to say 'at the turn of the year let's try and be at a point per game'. "