Wins are going to count very strongly now - Hughton

Chris Hughton. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Chris Hughton. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

Chris Hughton is not sure how many points it will take to stay up this season but admits wins are now more crucial than ever.

The Seagulls head into the last third of the season in 15th place, just one point above third-from-bottom Southampton with 13 Premier League games remaining.

Albion host 12th-placed West Ham, who they trail by three points, this afternoon and Hughton said: "Wins will count very strongly going into this last third of the season.

"In other stages of the season you want to stay in there and some results, particularly draws away from home, are good results.

"But the team that manages to get perhaps more wins and more three points in the last period, that will make the difference for them."

Hughton has no specific points target to reach and said: "We've never really set a target, we are a new team in this division and have our targets every single week, which is to get as many points as we can in the next game.

"The obvious 40 point target is because of history and averages and it is not a bad one to cling on to.

"I have no idea what it will take this season.

"What I know is we have is a huge amount of competition at this end of the table and whoever is playing each other at this end of the table it's a bigger game but we have no targets.

"We just need to make sure we get more points than three other teams."

Looking ahead to this afternoon's game with West Ham, Hughton said: "It seems every game we play now is the most important one.

"The significance of the result at Southampton is if you are able to get a win or draw, it's points they don't get and that would apply to any team around us and West Ham fall into that category.

"It's one we wouldn't want to lose.

"We are at home and we have got to look for every opportunity we can to get three points."