Ipswich boss George Burley has set an 84-point target for promotion.

Town, who are bidding to extend their unbeaten league run to eight games when they entertain West Brom at Portman Road tomorrow, are about to reach the halfway point in their season.

A win against Brian Little's draw specialists will put Town on 42 points -- exactly halfway towards Burley's target.

The Town chief said: "Up to now we've done very well and somewhere in the region of 84 points would be an impressive total.

"Hopefully we can just nudge a couple more wins to make sure we can go up automatically."

Burley's minimum target has not been enough to see sides promoted automatically in the last two seasons.

Last year's champions, Sunderland, went up with an incredible 105 points, while second-placed Bradford finished on 87.

The previous season Nottingham Forest were promoted as champions on 94 points with Middlesbrough on 91.

It will take a monumental effort for Burley's side achieve that kind of total but the Town chief added: "We've certainly got the players to get in the Premiership.

"They reacted very well to the FA Cup defeat against Southampton and I have been very impressed by their response.

"Southampton showed us a lot of respect by changing their system around to cope with us and that showed me how far we have come.

"Our players are improving all the time and I think they will benefit from the experience of playing Premiership opposition."

Town have injury worries over David Johnson (thigh) but he is expected to be fit in time. Manuel Thetis (Achilles) could be back in the squad but Adam Tanner (virus) and Mark Venus (ankle) are unlikely to figure.

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