STEVE Bruce struck a positive note this week and, in doing so, suggested Wanderers should be equally upbeat about their survival prospects.

It was no surprise to hear the Birmingham boss insist the Blues still have a great chance of avoiding the drop, despite picking up just one point from the last eight games, including a 4-2 defeat at the Reebok.

But his suggestion that they may need only three more wins sounds a modest target, considering they currently stand on 26 points - just one place and one point better off than Wanderers.

Birmingham have not won in the Premiership since the middle of December but Bruce says he would have accepted the club's current league position if he had been offered it last summer.

He reckons: "If someone had said to me at the start of the season when I was lying on my sun bed that we would be five points clear of the relegation zone and that we probably need three wins to stay in the Premiership, I would have taken it."

The Blues are encouraged by the fact that fellow strugglers West Brom, Sunderland and West Ham have still to visit St Andrews.

Bruce adds: "We are disappointed but we have had a lot of injury and suspension problems.

"We have also played Manchester United twice, Chelsea, Arsenal - all of the teams. We have been in the Champions League!

"I have got to remain upbeat and positive that we can get the wins we need. We all have to keep our nerve."