Paul Merson has set Walsall a target of at least eight points from their four-game festive programme which begins at home to Tranmere Rovers this afternoon.

With three at home and all against sides below them in League One, the Saddlers' manager has told his team that two, possibly three, wins is the minimum return he expects from them if they are to mount a credible challenge for the play-offs.

"If we can win against Tranmere and then average two points a game after that, we would make the play-offs," Merson said. "I would be disappointed if we didn't get

eight or nine points over this period but we don't want to draw too many. That's what kills you, look at Wolver-hampton Wanderers. You are better off winning one and losing one than drawing two."

Having won their last seven matches at home, today's visit from joint second-bottom Tranmere presents Walsall with a chance to close the six-point gap between themselves and the top six but Merson knows it won't be easy.

"They have got rid of two good players to Wigan [Ryan Taylor] and Leicester [Iain Hume] and [Jason] McAteer is out injured but they will still be a good team," he said.

"They are capable of winning five or six on the trot and they did the double over us last year."

Merson will hope that Tranmere's LDV Vans Trophy quarter-final loss to Carlisle United in midweek - which ended 11-10 on penalties - will have 'knocked the stuffing out of them' although he did admit: "If they get a penalty, we might as well give it them!"

He rates his own chances of playing as 50-50 and knows he will be without injured captain Danny Fox and winger Ishmel Demon-tagnac, who is still suspended.

Mark Wright is also unlikely to be fit but otherwise he is picking from a full-strength squad, at least until Jorge Leitao leaves on January 7 after the Portuguese declared his intention to go home when the transfer window opens. ..SUPL: