The captain seems, somewhat harshly, to be discounting the challenges of both Charlton and Fulham and already eying a final day showdown at Anfield.
"We hope to finish fourth, but there are other teams in exactly the same position as we are,” he said.
"Liverpool are getting criticised for having a poor season, but they are above us and they're getting one or two of their players back now.
"If you were a betting man, you would put money on ourselves or Liverpool to finish in that position, but the other teams around us will have something to say about that.
"We have to make sure it is us who finish there and no-one else."