Two wins from safety - Coyle

Two wins from safety - Coyle

Published Apr. 15, 2010 9:11 a.m. ET

Wanderers have hauled themselves out of the relegation zone since Coyle's appointment as manager in January and are currently five points above the Barclays Premier League's bottom three in 15th place. A sequence of three wins in four league games saw them move up to 13th in mid-March, eight points clear of the drop zone, but since then they have lost four games in a row. It means the team travel to Stoke on Saturday not yet entirely free of the threat of relegation and Coyle feels it will take six more points for those fears to be banished completely. "I think we need two wins," Coyle said. "I think everybody would agree - 38 points would guarantee you being in the Premier League. "The sooner you get that, the better, and that starts on Saturday. "It will be a tough game - Stoke have been fantastic and I have the utmost respect for Tony Pulis. "He has done a magnificent job there, brought some good players to the football club and has established them now as a Premier League club. It's all credit to him." After Stoke, Bolton take on Portsmouth, who have been in administration since February and were finally relegated at the weekend, but also booked their place in the FA Cup final. Pompey boss Avram Grant then made eight changes to the team last night against Wigan - and named just four substitutes - but they still emerged with a point from the DW Stadium and Coyle is confident the south coast outfit will not be rolling over for anybody. "I think whoever goes out to play for their team at this level, you know they are good players," Coyle said. "Portsmouth feel that the whole world has been against them and it was an unbelievable achievement for them to get to the cup final. "I think in adversity you get strength and there is a bond there which Avram has tapped into very well. "They have done terrific with that unified spirit. It doesn't matter who they played last night, you knew they were going to give everything for their cause, and so it proved."

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