Manager Alan Pardew piled enormous pressure on himself by declaring that Charlton dare not fail in pursuit of promotion next season.

As flood levels of expectancy inside The Valley subsided with Saturday’s failure to win at home against struggling Southampton, the manager issued a forthright assessement intended to shake some senior players while encouraging the club’s outstanding youngsters.

Charlton have won just eight of their 22 home games and Pardew said: “I can’t keep making excuses for our failure to win at home.

“I’ve told the players they have to show me that they want to be here next season. We need more steel, more strength and I will have to make three or four changes changes.”

He added: “If we fail this season, we dare not fail next season. I will be even more determined to address the problems in this squad and make sure it’s right.

“Make no mistake, I’m clear in my own mind what the problems are because I don’t want us coming up short again.”