Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce said he would be very disappointed if the Eagles fail to beat the drop and has called on his troops to be brave in their final eight fixtures.

Palace are three points above the drop zone after their 3-1 defeat by Southampton and face five of the current top six in their eight remaining Premier League fixtures.

Allardyce expects the relegation dogfight to go down to the wire but is confident his squad will have what it takes to avoid the drop after going on a four-game winning streak before their loss at St. Mary’s.

And the former England boss believes that eight points – which will take the Eagles to 39 for the season – will be enough to stave off relegation.

(Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

“I would be very disappointed, having worked so hard, that we throw it away in the last eight games. I think eight more points will be enough,” said Allardyce.

“We have got the hardest run-in, there is no doubt about that, but we are in good form and hopefully that will continue and results will come with it. It is going to go right down to the wire.

“In the end it will be about who can hold their nerve. That is normally the key going into the single-figure game mark, when that bells starts ringing and time is running out.

“You have got to be brave and stand up and be counted if you want to survive.”

Southampton’s Maya Yoshida admits some gentle pressure from his teammates had made him desperate to net a goal in the Saints’ win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old Japanese defender had not scored a Premier League goal for the Saints, before his 84th-minute tap-in helped his side to a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Yoshida did score his first goal for Southampton against Norwich in the FA Cup back in January, but after scoring his tenth international goal for Japan last month, the centre-back revealed some of his teammates had suggested he was not pulling his weight.

“Cuco (Martina) told me before the game that I only ever score for Japan and that I don’t score in the Premier League, so I wanted to prove him wrong,” Yoshida joked.

“I’m happy that hopefully he will never be able to talk with me like this again!

“The most important thing is we got three points because we have been waiting for this win for a long time – especially after not playing at St Mary’s for so long either.

“Last month we didn’t play at home and we were, including the supporters, missing the winning feeling. The fans expected a lot from us, so we could answer that today and we’re really happy.

“The most important thing now is to win against West Brom [this weekend] because we can catch up with them really quickly.

“We have to be more clinical in front of goal. But we got three goals and hopefully there’s more goals to come at West Brom on Saturday.”

Marco Silva insists Hull City have a long way to go in their fight for Premier League survival despite moving outside the relegation zone.

Silva’s men travel to Manchester City at the weekend in 17^th-place in the league, two points above third-bottom Swansea, after their 4-2 victory over Middlesbrough.

Goals from Lazar Markovic, Oumar Niasse and Abel Hernandez saw Hull recover from a goal down to lead 3-1 with Harry Maguire adding a fourth after Marten de Roon had pulled one back.

It moved Silva and his side out of the relegation zone for the first time since October but the manager insists the season is far from over.

He said: “There are still many things that we have to work on as a team but I am happy with our progress.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

“We now need to do more because nothing finishes because of this win. It was a very important three points, but we have to continue to fight until the end of the season.

“It was a very good performance and my feeling is that it was our best since I arrived here.

“We worked together and played as a team – this is the only way we can change the situation that we are in.”

The time finally came for the Tottenham Hotspur fans to sing Vincent Janssen’s name on Wednesday night, and the striker admits he will be forever grateful for the support he gets from the stands.

Janssen played a key role in Spurs’ superb comeback win against Swansea at the Liberty Stadium, rallying from 1-0 down with just minutes remaining to leave Wales as 3-1 winners.

The Dutchman orchestrated a delightful backheel to set Dele Alli away for the third goal, scored by Christian Eriksen, to end what has been a torrid time in North London, scoring just one Premier League goal this season.

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

But his impact in a potentially title-defining win has not been downplayed by the fans, with Janssen delighted he was finally able to give them something to cheer about.

“It means a lot to me as I’ve said a lot of times. I can’t thank them enough because they are really important for me and try to help me. I try to pay them back with performances on the pitch,” he said.

“The feeling is very good because you know you are going to get the points – very important points. We fought the whole game so it’s important to come away with the reward. The feeling is very good – all the fans went crazy and that’s what you play for.

“Everyone was happy because it’s a very important win. It’s a feeling that you can’t describe – it’s one of the best feelings when you win in the last few minutes.”

Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany insists his hard work paid dividends, after he returned in City’s 2-1 loss to league-leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Kompany completed 90 minutes for the first time in a year and has made just six starts in all competitions this season.

Despite City not challenging for the league title this season – they trail Chelsea by 14 points – Kompany is hoping his side can finish the season strongly with a place in the top four and the FA Cup final in his sights.

And the Belgian believes his hard graft during his rehabilitation period has paid off after coming through Wednesday’s clash in London unscathed.

(Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images)

“It wasn’t the easiest game to get back into but what I would say in terms of advice to younger players is: I could have stood back and moaned and complained that I wasn’t playing but I never did,” said Kompany.

“I worked very hard for that one opportunity and within the conditions that were available to me, I was helpful to the team.

“Regarding our position, it will be fight until the end for us. Out of something, there is always a new target.

“Our target is Champions League and hopefully getting to the final of the FA Cup.”

For whatever reason, Theo Walcott tends to attract more criticism than most – but the Arsenal star claims it is simply water off a duck’s back.

Walcott, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and the Gunners as a whole have all been recipients of plenty of disparagement in recent weeks after a run of four defeats in six games left them seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League table.

But the north Londoners responded in style on Wednesday evening as the much-maligned Mesut Ozil, Walcott and Olivier Giroud all netted in a convincing 3-0 win over West Ham to climb right back into the race for the Champions League.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

And the flying forward insists he has long since blocked out any negativity from external sources.

“Criticism – I don’t even bother looking at it,” said Walcott. “I only listen to people I want to listen to. Who are they? The manager and the people at this club – that’s all I care about.

“I don’t mind people talking; they can talk and it doesn’t bother me at all.

“We got the win against West Ham and that is all that matters. We move on now to Crystal Palace on Monday night.

“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know that we should be doing better and we’ve just got to remember how good we are.

“That scoreline against West Ham will show that we’re ready for a fight and that we’ll go all the way until it ends.”

Slaven Bilic admits that it is only realistic for his West Ham United side to peer nervously over their shoulders in the midst of their dismal run of recent form.

The Hammers are winless in seven matches and Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal saw them slip to a fifth defeat in a row, with just five points now separating West Ham and the Premier League drop zone.

However, Bilic, whose team face a crucial clash with Swansea City at the London Stadium next weekend, has issued a rallying cry to his players, imploring them to fight tooth and nail to ensure that they remain in the top flight for next season.

“We are looking over our shoulders of course, and there is no point in hiding it. It’s not being negative – it’s being realistic,” said Bilic.

“It is the key point for me to get that confidence back before Saturday.

“We need one win and it will change everything for us. Three points at this stage of the season are massive.

“I told the guys: ‘OK, forget (Wednesday). We have a few massive games in front of us’.

“We have a huge game in the Premier League – a very important game – against Swansea on Saturday and we will fight to keep Premier League status.”

Jack Cork insists that Swansea City cannot allow their belief to waver as their battle to avoid relegation rumbles on.

On Wednesday night, the Swans dropped into the Premier League’s bottom three courtesy of a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, with Hull City beating Middlesbrough to move their own heads above water.

Cork, who has shared the captain’s armband with fellow midfielder Leon Britton this season, says that it is imperative that his side dust themselves down quickly and refocus on the next task at hand – Saturday’s trip to West Ham United – to ensure that they’re looking downwards when the trap door swings shut next month.

“We have to keep going, keep believing, and stick together,” said the 27-year-old.

“It’s horrible for everyone at the club but we have to keep our heads up and move on.

“We all need to stick together. We have all pulled together already this season and now we have to do the same again.

“People say (that) when you are down the bottom, the luck goes against you, and we have conceded some really unlucky goals this year.

“But there are seven games to go – we have plenty of points to play for.

“We play West Ham next and we have to try to drag them into it.”

Thibaut Courtois knows the expectation is for modern goalkeepers to be good with their feet but the Chelsea stopper believes shot-stopping will always be the number one trait for a No.1.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola in particular has expressed his desire for his goalie to play the ball out from the back – ditching former first choice Joe Hart for sweeper-keeper Claudio Bravo, with mixed results.

Courtois is lucky enough to be capable with the ball at his feet but also one of the Premier League’s best when it comes to more traditional goalkeeping attributes.

Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images

And while the Belgian admits Chelsea boss Antonio Conte like him to instigate attacks, his main focus is keeping the ball out of the net.

“It all depends on what type of football your manager wants you to play,” said Courtois.

“Antonio likes us to play out from the back so we need a goalkeeper who has the ability to pass the ball, and is not afraid to receive the ball and open the game up.

“It’s important for our game and probably even more so for Man City, who go maybe one step further.

“In general, most goalkeepers of the new generation will be brought up being able to produce good passes, but ultimately what’s most important is to save balls.

“It’s nice to have a goalkeeper who is very strong with his feet but in the end you want him to make saves which help you win the game.

“The hand capacity, and the saves you make, are always more important than your feet, but these days both are important.”

Leon Osman admits former Everton team-mate Ross Barkley has not ‘kicked on’ as much as he should have.

Osman spent nearly two decades at Everton and played in the midfield alongside Barkley when the latter burst on the scene in the 2013-14 Premier League season.

However, Barkley is now 23 and has come in for some criticism following recent poor performances, while Toffees boss Ronal Koeman has left him out of his starting XI on numerous occasions.

And Osman, who made 432 appearances for Everton, insists Barkley does not have the excuse of being a young player to fall back on any more.

“I don’t like to put him down but he’s been playing in the first-team now since he was 17, 18 years of age – and that’s a long time to have been playing in the Premier League and not kicked on and not made that next step,” Osman said.

“He should have the experience behind him at this level and it’s worrying that he’s still being talked about as a young player and ‘give him time’.

“He’s got all the talent in the world but he keeps on making more wrong decisions than right decisions in a game.

“Having had four or five years experience now you would have expected him to learn to have started to make them right decisions more often than not, but as of yet we’re all still waiting for that to happen.”