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Martin O'Neill believes another 12 points will secure World Cup qualification.

The Republic of Ireland are setting the pace in Group D having got off to a flyer with 10 points banked from four games played.

It promises to be a seismic 2017 for the table-toppers with Aviva Stadium hosting four of the remaining six qualifiers.

O’Neill is reluctant to get carried away by the fine start but, for the first time, has revealed the target that he believes will get the job done.

The Boys in Green are looking to reach the World Cup for the first time since the controversial 2002 finals in Japan & Korea.

And O’Neill said: “If you’re holding me to it, I’d say 22 points. Easy isn’t it!

Ireland’s win in Austria last month has O’Neill’s men sitting pretty ahead of the titanic Dublin showdown with Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales in March.

Wounded Austria hit the capital in June before respective double-headers against Georgia and Serbia and Moldova and Wales in September and October.

But O’Neill claims his front runners are not under undue pressure, because they have achieved nothing yet in a group battle only starting to heat up.

O’Neill is drilling home the message that the hard work is still ahead, warning: “Anyone who has followed us in the last couple of years wouldn’t be get too excited yet.

“There will be disappointment along the way and we’ll have to overcome that. There was disappointment a couple of years ago against Scotland when we drew in June.

(Image: Getty)

“Everybody thought ‘That’s it.’ But I never believed that. Conversely, I still think we’ve a long distance to go.

“Even though we’ve home games, unfortunately that doesn’t guarantee us points on the board.

“They guarantee us a fervent crowd, they guarantee us a great support - and the supporters have been great. Those days in France will live with me a long long time.

“But we have to do something about these games and that’s the point.”

With Robbie Keane retired, O’Neill is still hunting for a natural goal scorer but is not as panicked about unearthing new talent as he had been.

(Image: Reuters)

That’s because Ireland have scored seven goals in their four games in this campaign - two in Austria, three in Moldova, one in Austria and one in Dublin.

James McClean has bagged three of those in the last two games and the West Brom star is fast becoming the talisman of the campaign.

“We’re not doing too badly,” said O’Neill. “You’d still love a natural goal scorer in your team, the one who could turn a game.

“I’m not sure we have that. That’s not a criticism of the side, but we have to find it from other avenues.

“We can draw a great deal of consolation that goals are coming from other areas. If we don’t have a natural goal scorer, we have to find a way to win a game.”

But with Robbie Brady already suspended for the Wales clash, O’Neill will be on tenterhooks over the festive period, praying his players avoid serious injury.

(Image: Getty)

“You’re thinking some player could go down injured,” he said. “Seamus Coleman picked up an injury for Everton and your heart is in your mouth.

“Wales have a certain number of players in their team which would be big losses, Gareth Bale (a major doubt for Dublin) being one of them.

“We have a similar situation. That’s the problem with international football - you’re sitting and you’re sweating. But so far we’ve been up to the task and 2017 is a big year.”

Martin O'Neill was speaking to eir Sport in an interview broadcast last night, and to be repeated over the festive period