Roy Hodgson backed for Fulham feat

Roy Hodgson will renew acquaintances with Fulham with his West Brom captain still adamant he can weave his Craven Cottage magic at the Hawthorns.

Hodgson's stunning three-year spell in West London ensures a warm reception from the travelling fans, when his old club visit his new one in the Premier League.

And Baggies skipper Chris Brunt insists a difficult start to Hodgson's first full Albion season has not dented belief that the veteran head coach can make a similar impression with his current side.

Brunt said: "I don't think we're in any doubt we can compete at this level. We've just had a bit of a slow start. We know what we need to be doing and we did the right things at Everton on Wednesday.

"So if we take that into a league game, especially at the Hawthorns, we have got a good chance.

"You can't just say 'it's going to come' until it comes, but we're still doing what the gaffer says.

"We went over a few things from the Swansea game at the weekend, we tried to put it in place on Wednesday night and we did that for the majority of the game.

"One scruffy goal and a good finish beat us on the night."

The dismal defeat in South Wales was the lowest point so far in a season that has yet to take off for the Baggies.

They performed well but lost to Manchester United and Chelsea, handed Stoke victory at the death, scraped a win at Norwich but then flopped at the Liberty Stadium.

But Brunt, who is expected to be restored to team tomorrow after stepping off the bench at half-time against Swansea, insisted poor results to date cannot be used as an excuse for moping.

He said: "I suppose confidence can be hit a little bit, but that's what we are paid for. We're paid to pick ourselves up and get on with it.

"The Premier League is the place where we want to play and our main focus is to stay in the league again. It's the Premier League, it's where everyone wants to be.

"You see great players come in every summer and that's why it's such a good league. If you make a mistake you get punished."

For Hodgson, tomorrow's match will be a reunion with the club he turned around between 2007 and 2010, saving them from relegation before leading them to Premier League stability and a Europa League final.

But Brunt believes, with both clubs in the bottom three with just three points on the board, winning will take precedence over reminiscing.

He said: "It's two teams looking for points and Fulham have had a lot of games already this season with the Europa League.

"It's going to be a tight game, I'm sure. The gaffer knows all about Fulham and I'm sure they know all about him.

"I'm sure it'll be an interesting one but I'm confident we've got enough to cause them problems and we showed on Wednesday, for long spells, we can defend well.

"I don't think it's a 'need-to-win game' but we need to get some points.

"Getting our first win at Norwich and then having such a sloppy performance at Swansea dented the confidence a bit so it's important to get back on track.

"We put in a good performance but got knocked out the Carling Cup, which is disappointing.

"But it's up to us to get the ball rolling. We know what Fulham are all about, they pass the ball well and spent big in the transfer window before the end.

"We're confident at home we can give anyone a game and, in the two home games this season, we've shown that.

"But we've got nothing from them so it's important we get the ball rolling, especially at home.

"The gaffer made changes on Wednesday and gave the young lads a chance to prove what they can do.

"The majority of lads played very well and the gaffer will have a few decisions to make for this one."

[24link]