Starting on Saturday when they host Perth Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle face a crucial phase of their A-League campaign when they also play Adelaide (away), Western United (home) and Macarthur (away) while most people are enjoying their Christmas-New Year break.

The Jets are two points adrift of the top six and, after last week's 3-0 win in New Zealand that knocked Wellington off the top of the ladder, they are intent on continuing to climb rungs.

"You try not to look ahead, but in terms of the next month into the new year, that's where teams can make a big jump, because Christmas is here, there's holiday mode, there's relaxation in the air," O'Neill said on Thursday.

"You can kind of take your foot off it. It's human nature.

"But if we do the opposite and put our foot down and get on a bit of a roll, come the new year a lot of teams won't like to play us, and that's a good place to be."

O'Neill said last week's win was a morale-booster after consecutive losses to Central Coast and Melbourne City but added: "It means nothing if we don't do it again this week, and next week and the week after that."

"That's our challenge," the midfielder said.

"Can we bring what we did last weekend to this weekend? And not just this weekend, but every single weekend until we bring finals to the Hunter. And that's our motivation."

Last week's victory was the Jets' most complete performance in their seven games under new coach Rob Stanton, but O'Neill warned "we can do a hell of a lot better."

"Tactically as a team, for 60 minutes last week was spot-on," he said.

"And we made sure that what we were doing as a team culminated in scoring goals ... this week it's imperative, especially at home, that we have control for the full 90 minutes.

"We can do it and we'll be set up to do that, but it's up to us as players to go out there and actually execute that game plan."

The Jets took time out yesterday to pay a visit and spread Christmas cheer at John Hunter Hospital's children's ward, which O'Neill said provided all involved with a touch of perspective.

"You look at them and think if these boys and girls can do this, why can't we go out on the weekend and get three points?" he said.