McLeish sets his strikers Europa League target

Alex McLeish has admitted for the first time that Birmingham could qualify for the Europa League - if his current strikers can deliver sufficient goal-power during the remainder of the season.

McLeish saw the reunited Cameron Jerome-Christian Benitez partnership impress during the 2-0 mid-week win at Portsmouth which lifted City up to eighth spot in the Barclays Premier League.

He concedes Saturday's visitors, Everton, remain favourites to overhaul them despite City drawing 1-1 at Goodison Park and also knocking them out of the FA Cup. But McLeish believes ''anything is possible'' if the likes of Jerome, Benitez, James McFadden and veteran Kevin Phillips are in form during the final two months of the campaign.

McLeish said: ''Can you qualify for the Europa League? Well, if Cameron continues to score goals and we keep winning, then it's possible. If Christian and the other strikers can keep getting us goals - the four front guys we trust to get into these positions and do well - then it's possible.

''We know it's possible. Anything is possible. Everton would still be favourites to catch us in this particular campaign and Fulham are also there and thereabouts. But we have got ourselves in a marvellous position of strength - and it's up to the players and ourselves to keep driving and going for it.''

McLeish added: ''If we can beat Everton at home, it would help and we fancy ourselves at St Andrew's. But Everton are a great club, they were brilliant last week [against Hull], and they will be coming with a lot of confidence.

''We've got to show the same type of spirit we've shown at St Andrew's since day one this season. We have to make sure Everton are going back up the motorway to Liverpool thinking 'That is the last place we wanted to go today'''.