Monday 18 September 2017 00:23, UK
Roy Hodgson is hoping his experience of saving Fulham from relegation will inspire him to keep struggling Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Hodgson, who took over from sacked former boss Frank de Boer, was unable to have an immediate impact at his new club as he watched his side lose 1-0 to Southampton in his opening game in the Selhurst Park dugout, on Saturday.
Following Saturday's result the south London club became the first side in English top-flight history to lose their opening five games without registering a single goal.
Things could get worse for Palace, who sit bottom of the Premier League, as they come up against each of the Manchester clubs and Chelsea in their next three league games.
The task of keeping Palace in the league looks a tough one at this stage but the former England manager is confident with the players at his disposal he can steer Palace clear of relegation.
"We [Fulham] lost the first three. It was a similar sort of thing: Arsenal, those type of teams.
"Don't forget at Fulham we got out of the relegation zone on the very, very last game of the season with a win at Portsmouth, so we lived with that hanging over our heads for a very long time, and we were greatly helped by the fans.
"The fans at the moment still believe this is going to change overnight, and are beginning to realise it won't.
"I've obviously been told from the club's point of view that survival's everything; that it would be unthinkable that we go down, and we're going to work during the months ahead to make sure it doesn't happen.
"In the Premier League, more and more, it's getting that way: the money increases every year, the gap between the money in the Premier League and in the Championship gets wider; it's harder when you go down to get up every year.
"I'm afraid we're going to be one of those clubs like everyone else: every day we're in the relegation zone, we're going to be concerned about the future.
"Me saying 'Don't worry, we'll be okay'. It's fine to do those things, and who wouldn't do that? But I still think we will be okay, and we'll work to be okay,and this group of players will follow me and the others to make sure we're okay.
"But it won't be by the end of October; possibly, it might be quite a long way forward."
