Bradford City skipper Stuart McCall believes his side are behind schedule in their bid for Premiership survival and must start to put that right against champions Manchester United.

The Bantams entertain the Premiership leaders on Saturday in front of another sell-out crowd at Valley Parade in what is sure to be a cracking clash.

At the start of City's first season in the top flight, McCall's battle plan for survival involved the campaign being split into four quarters of nine games.

The City skipper was looking to chalk up ten points from each quarter to leave the Bantams with 40 points with the final two games remaining.

But following the 4-0 defeat at Coventry, third-bottom City have 26 points from 29 games and McCall knows results must improve.

He said: "In the first nine games we got eight points and the same tally from the second nine games. However in the next set of nine, which took us up to before the Leeds game, we got ten.

"And with us losing the first two games in this quarter, we are behind schedule slightly and must make up for that. We need 12 points from the next seven games to take us to the end of the last quarter.

"That will leave us with 38 points and I think we will be all right getting the two points we will probably nee from the last two matches.

"I didn't want us to be in a position like Nottingham Forest last season where we would be dead and buried with ten games to go. If we can go into the last game still involved we will have done all right."

City have five home games remaining this season with fellow strugglers Southampton, Wimbledon and Derby all due at Valley Parade in April.

McCall recognises the importance of those games.

He also is aware of the need to pick up points away from home where City have gained just one since their last win at Derby on September 25.

He said: "If we can win the matches with Southampton, Wimbledon and Derby we will be more or less back on track."

"Manchester United is, of course, a tough game but few people gave us a chance against Arsenal and yet we beat them.

"I think all our remaining away games are winnable. If we can start putting those results together then it takes the pressure off ourselves at home. We need to start picking up points on Saturday and that will give us all the lift for the final run in."

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