Roy Hodgson believes a win against Leicester on Saturday should be enough to ensure Crystal Palace avoid relegation.
Victory at Selhurst Park will move Palace, who are already six points above the bottom three, to 38 points.
Hodgson said: “That [38 points] would seem to be quite a good total this year, with so many teams not close to that. But you never know. It is trying to make certain we win each of the three matches left and take no chances.
“I certainly will not be relaxing and ensuring the players do not relax until we are safe. I think it is going to take more than three points to ensure we are safe.”
Palace striker Christian Benteke is running out of time to convince Belgium manager Roberto Martinez he should go to the World Cup and he is likely to be on the bench tomorrow, with Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend set to continue their partnership up front.
Benteke has scored just twice this season and Hodgson said: “Centre-forwards, especially those that cost quite a lot of money, are judged on one thing — how many goals can you show as a return for the club’s investment in you?
“It is the clubs that pay the wages and the national teams that supply the glamour. If you want that glamour and big prizes of major competitions, you have to be playing well enough to impress upon the national manager that you are the right man for the job.”
