Aaron Fox: Steelers need to turn around dip in form immediately to stand any chance of winning league

Four consecutive losses - the last two against the EIHL's bottom two clubs - have seen their position at the top looking on very shaky ground.

Second place Cardiff have four games in hand and are three points adrift - that would have been one if Devils had not dipped at Guildford on Sunday.

Coming up on the rails are Nottingham Panthers in third place - they too would overtake Sheffield if they win their three games in hand.

Coach Fox admits it's gone sour. "It is tough when you are in a hole like we are right now.

"It is hard to find a way out of when you are not playing good hockey.

"It feels like every mistake you make ends up in the back of your net," he said after Sunday's 3-1 loss at Fife Flyers.

"We'd put ourselves in a pretty good position in 75 per cent of the year...now we are limping along at the moment.

"We have got to figure out our game real quick here if we really want to compete for the title."

After Saturday's 5-2 defeat by Dundee Stars, Fox told The Star they had to "knock themselves out of this rut, right now."

He added that he was entirely focused on that task: "Cardiff is going to do what Cardiff does and if we collect enough points to be there in the end that's our goal.

Looking at the week ahead, he added: "We have a huge weekend with Nottingham and Belfast (Giants) coming up and that's really my only focus."

Not including the Challenge Cup Final or Play Offs, Steelers have ten games left, five home five away.

Cardiff have 14 games left, eight home six away.

In league play, Steelers play Cardiff, Manchester Storm and Dundee Stars twice, as well as Nottingham, Belfast, Fife and Guildford.

Steelers have three games in February, Devils four.

In March, Steelers have seven games, Devils have ten.

But don't rule out Nottingham in this epic chase: they beat Belfast 4-0 on Sunday and a win over Sheffield on Saturday would pretty much put Fox's team to the sword.

Fox's team has scored nine goals in the last four games and conceded 19...a huge turnaround is required.SHEFFIELD FIXTURES:FEBRUARYSat 22: Nottingham ASun 23: Belfast HSat 29 Fife H MARCHSun 1 Guildford AFri 6 Cardiff ASun 8 (Challenge Cup final at Cardiff)Sat 14 Manchester HSat 21 Dundee HSun 22 Dundee ASat 28 Manchester ASun 29th Cardiff D. HCARDIFF DEVILS:FEBRUARYWed 19 Fife HSat 22 Guildford HSun 23 Coventry ASat 29 Nottingham AMARCHSun 1 Dundee HFri 6 Sheffield HSun 8 (Challenge Cup Final)Sat 14 Guildford HSun 15 Dundee AWed 18 Coventry HSat 21 Nottingham ASun 22 Manchester HWed 25 Glasgow ASat 28 Belfast HSun 29 Sheffield A