Tony Pulis keeps level head as he prepares for backlash

Tony Pulis expects 40 points to be enough to secure Crystal Palace’s Premier League survival but has warned his players to expect a backlash from Everton in tomorrow night’s meeting at Goodison Park.

Saturday’s victory over West Brom has taken Palace three points clear of the relegation zone with just 13 matches to play.

Having taken over at the end of November with Palace languishing at the bottom of the table, that means Pulis has now picked up 19 points in the same number of games.

Yet with 11 clubs still fighting to keep their heads above water, the former Stoke boss knows there will be plenty of twists and turns to come. “If you look at the table and see how many clubs are involved, it’s just going to be about keeping your nerve,” he said. “If you win a game and pull away from it a bit, don’t get carried away. Likewise if you lose a couple of games and get dragged in, then don’t get too despondent.”

Pulis added: “Ever since I became a manager in the Premier League, I think if you get 40 points then you’ve got a massive chance of staying up.”

Palace have a good record at Goodison having won there in the Premier League in both 1992 and 1997. However, with Roberto Martinez’s side smarting from their narrow loss to Spurs on Sunday, Pulis is wary of the threat Everton will pose.