Reading Football Club News

• Nickname:Royals
• Founded:1871
• Manager:Brian McDermott

• Ground:Madejski Stadium
• Capacity:24,200

Oster calms Royals drop fear

14 Apr 2008 - 15:39:15

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Reading midfielder John Oster has calmed fears of relegation after claiming just four more points are needed to secure their Premier League status.

The Royals slipped to within three points of the drop zone following Saturday's surprise 2-0 home defeat to Fulham, but Oster believes there is no need to panic despite the tightening relegation scrap.

Steve Coppell's side face Arsenal next weekend languishing in 16th place in the table and on 32 points.

"I'd like to think four points would see us safe," he told the club's official website.

"We need points on the board, and Bolton have dragged us into it, so it's imperative we get results.

"I don't think the Arsenal game will determine if we stay up or go down.

"We'd like to think we can get something from the other games with teams around us."

Speaking about the Fulham defeat, he added: "We didn't play the best and maybe made them look better than we should have let them. All in all, it was very disappointing.

"I can't put my figure on what's happened. Up until the first 20 minutes at Newcastle, we'd done okay. It's weird how we've slipped."