It’s back to action for Dundee on Saturday after the winter break, with a Scottish Cup tie against Championship strugglers St Mirren at Dens Park.
After showing good form going into the shutdown, particularly at home, the Dark Blues are strong favourites to progress against the Buddies.
After that, on Friday week, the more serious business of continuing to climb away from the Premiership relegation zone resumes with a trip to Aberdeen.
At the weekend and at Pittodrie, manager Paul Hartley will be looking for his players to continue the form they were hitting by the end of December.
And now we look at the men who are likely to be key if Dundee are to continue their revival during the second half of the campaign.
Faissal El Bakhtaoui
The French-Moroccan needed time to adjust to the step up from League 1, where he scored goals for fun at Dunfermline, to life in the Premiership.
In a couple of appearances right before the break his play suggested he’s now done that and is ready to make a telling contribution.
There’s not a lot of the 24-year-old but his technique, pace and movement off the ball more than make up for his lack of physical stature.
He’s capable of both creating chances for Marcus Haber and getting goals when playing just off the big man.
Tom Hateley
Another of the men who joined after the season was under way — he arrived after a successful spell in Poland with Slask Wroclaw.
Having spent four years at Motherwell before heading to England with Tranmere and then spending those two years on the continent, he knows all about what it takes to succeed in Scottish football.
Hateley has settled in quickly at Dens and has had an increasing influence on the team. If that continues between now and May, the rest of the season could be a fight for the top six and not a struggle to beat the drop.
Marcus Haber
The Canadian international has scored three times in 11 appearances since joining up at the end of October.
In terms of goals that may not be a spectacular return but the former St Johnstone man has also chipped in with three or four assists.
Most of all, though, he’s become the focal point of Dundee’s attacking play and his presence has allowed others to get forward and hurt the opposition.
If he keeps doing that he could be the main man between now and the end of the campaign.
Craig Wighton
The highly-rated kid was influential in the couple of months before Christmas and has worked very well with Haber in the Dundee attack.
Manager Paul Hartley has remained careful not to put too much pressure on a player who, despite now having decent first-team experience, is still only 19.
At the same time, the gaffer knows an in-form Wighton can be a handful for any defence in the Premiership and will be looking to him to stay in the team.
If he does and is playing well, it’s likely to mean Dundee are picking up wins on a regular basis.
Paul McGowan
It won’t just be the newcomers to the team who have a big part to play and the manager will be looking to his “Mr Reliable” to continue the consistently good form he’s shown in his two-and-a-half years at Dens Park.
McGowan adds bite in the middle of the park for Dundee and drives those around him on. He also rarely wastes possession and that’s why he’s one of the first names on the team sheet each week.
The 29-year-old is arguably one of the most under-rated midfielders in Scottish football — but not by anyone at his club.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.