Tony Pulis has urged Stoke not to take their foot off the pedal as they seek to retain their top-flight status.
Stoke boss determined to reach PL safety as quickly as possible
Tony Pulis has urged Stoke not to take their foot off the pedal as they seek to retain their top-flight status for another season.
The Potters are currently sitting in a healthy ninth place in the table, with 33 points from their opening 25 games.
But they are only seven points off the drop zone and Pulis refuses to take anything for granted as he seeks to keep his side in the top flight for a third successive season.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's clash with Birmingham, the Stoke boss said: "Ninth place and in the fifth round of the FA Cup, that's not too bad for this time of the season, but we have to make sure we don't take our foot off the pedal.
"We need to grasp it as much as we possibly can in the next three months.
"I do worry and it's a case of getting to 40, 41 points and we can assess things.
No way
"Until we get there there's no way in a million years I'll be thinking of anything else.
"Have a look at the teams down there and the clubs who have been relegated in the last four or five years.
"Nobody in this city should take Premier League football for granted."
Robert Huth was the match-winner in the 3-2 victory over Sunderland last week, scoring twice in the last 10 minutes, although he was outmuscled by Asamoah Gyan for the Black Cats' second goal.
"Robert was brilliant in their box and useless in ours," joked Pulis.
"He got it the wrong way round.
Great lad
"He's a great lad though. He can play left, right, centre-half. He can do the full works.
"He's taken Ryan Shawcross' mantle with the goals as well. Ryan was scoring last year and Rob has picked up the baton.
"The game is changing, I think. Look at the goals scored last weekend in the Premier League. There's a massive emphasis now on going forward and not so much defensively."
One player who would love to follow Huth on the goal trail is striker Kenwyne Jones, who has not scored since New Year's Day.
But Pulis believes the Trinidadian can benefit from the presence of loan signing John Carew.
"Kenwyne needs a goal. He needs to get that and get a bit of confidence back," conceded Pulis.
"Playing with John will help him because he is such a good player."
