A VICTORY at the Hawthorns today would lift Sunderland seven points clear of the relegation zone, but Kenwyne Jones has warned that Premier League survival would still be far from secure.

Winning at bottom club West Brom would put Sunderland on 38 points with four matches remaining, a position of strength at a time when Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Hull are struggling to win matches.

Jones, however, was in no mood to accept the relegation fight will be won by inflicting defeat on West Brom and instead suggested that at least one further win would be required.

“It’s hard to say what will be needed, but I don’t think necessarily 40 points is going to save you,” said Jones. “It could happen that you might need 42, or whatever, so we have to try to pick up as many points as possible.

“We’ve looked at the run-ins for the other teams but you never know what’s going to happen.”

Jones and the rest of the Sunderland squad have together set their own targets and have made assessments of the table.

He refuses, however, to go home and dwell on the situation too much.

The Trinidad & Tobago striker feels the squad are united and confident of staying in the Premier League, even if they might have to wait a couple of weeks before they will know for sure.

“We have five more games this season and the first is West Brom and we have to try to take the maximum from that to help our quest for safety,”

said Jones.

“You can never tell, after West Brom we might need another win or two, so we can only deal with Saturday’s game.

“It’s a little bit disappointing it’s got to this stage, but if you look at the league this year it’s pretty tight.

“What’s more disappointing for us is our position now given where we were earlier in the season, but that’s how it’s gone and we have to deal with it.

“We’ve always had a decent team spirit here, everyone gets on well and we try to take that off the pitch as well.

“When any club gets relegated or is threatened with relegation it’s not just the players’ livelihoods at stake, it’s the staff throughout the club.

“Everyone needs to bind together to try to come out of this and last week’s win definitely lifted everyone.”

Regardless of the division Sunderland play in next season, Jones’ future will clearly be a hot topic again during the summer, with Tottenham expected to return with an improved offer.

But, after signing a new long-term contract in January, Jones is certainly in no mood to talk about leaving.

Asked about his situation, he said: “We have five games to go and are trying to stay in the league.

“You don’t want to be fighting relegation every season, but who is to say next season we can’t finish fifth?

“We just have to deal with Saturday and staying in the league.

“The ambition right now is to make sure we retain Premier League status and then summer time comes and we see what that brings and then the next season ahead, but noone knows what will happen tomorrow.”