Damien Delaney admits Crystal Palace should never have been involved in a relegation battle this season.
Palace will all but guarantee survival tomorrow if they beat Manchester City in the lunchtime kick-off or if Swansea fail to beat Everton later in the day.
That would complete an escape act under manager Sam Allardyce that looked unlikely when Palace lost 4-0 at home against Sunderland in February.
Delaney said: “That result [against Sunderland] was a real wake-up call to say, ‘wow, we really need to figure this out’.
“It was a realisation that we were in trouble. Up until that point, everyone said we would be fine.
“A lot of people were thinking we were not in trouble and that our talent and ability alone was going to get us out of it, not realising that it was going to have to be a roll-up-the-sleeves job. We have gone on a fantastic run since then.
“I am sick of saying it and sick of hearing it really but the calibre of player here and the squad we have put together we should not be where we are.”
Palace have taken 19 points from a possible 33 available since that Sunderland result to pull clear of danger. They are now six points above the relegation zone, in 16th place, with three games left to play this season .
In Pictures | Crystal Palace vs Burnley | 29/04/2017
Palace have won at Chelsea and Liverpool during that good run and Delaney said: “Possibly playing the bigger teams suits the Crystal Palace style.
“Hopefully we can pick up three points [at the Etihad]. Hopefully it [Palace’s bid to stay up] will not go to the last game of the season. We would like to get it done as soon as possible.
Delaney, 35, who will continue to partner Martin Kelly at centre-back, with Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins and Scott Dann all sidelined through injury, added: “We know one more win does it for us.
“You do not want to be waiting on other teams and checking other results.”
