West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has insisted that it is vital at this stage of the season to secure Premier League safety as quickly as possible.

The Hammers currently reside 10th in the table with as many games left to play and six points adrift of the relegation zone.

"It's 10 games to go, ten very important games to try and achieve as many points as we possibly can," Allardyce said in Thursday's press conference. "We'd have to say at this stage of the season it's about how quickly can you get safe.

"How quickly as a squad of players can you achieve the results you need to achieve to secure your position in the Barclays Premier League because then it's an opportunity to ease the pressure on the players that everybody has at this stage of the season. You see how far then you can finish in the league."

West Ham will take on Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.