Sam Allardyce: Our ultimate target is 38 points

Sam Allardyce

is yet to be relegated from the Premier League in his managerial career. The English coach is currently in charge of

as his eighth Premier League team. The 66-year-old replaced

Slaven Bilic

in December but his side have managed to win only one of their nine matches since then. However, Allardyce believes his side can secure their Premier League stay by reaching 38 points at the end of the season.

"They used to say the safety mark was 40 points. It's not really that now, it's 38, and that will be the ultimate target,"

Allardyce said.

"When I compare it with other situations where I've come into the Premier League around December - Blackburn, Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Everton - and the points difference to games this would be the hardest one.

"The amount of points that have to be made up. We could easily be sat here with four points from those two games (against Fulham and Sheffield United) and that would have been very satisfying indeed.

"But we slipped up so when we play Tottenham, Manchester United or West Ham we'll have to get a victory in those games."

Speaking ahead of West Brom’s Sunday match against

, Allardyce urged his team to make their best effort to win their important matches.

"We have failed against teams in and around us to achieve the number of points we wanted to, which means we have to make up those points against teams in higher positions,"

Allardyce added.

"We have to produce performances in those games to get some victories, not just draws. That's the position we've put ourselves in.

"We'll have to surprise teams like I've done in the past at other clubs in this position.

"We need to do what Brighton and Burnley have done, get a victory against some of the bigger teams in this league, while not forgetting when we play teams in that bottom eight it's almost getting to the stage where it's a must-win."

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