Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is refusing to accept that his club's battle against relegation from the Premier League is already lost.

The beleaguered Cottagers are second from bottom in the league and are six points behind Reading, who sit just above them.

Hodgson, whose side travel to his former club Blackburn tomorrow, remains optimistic he can secure their status in the top division and has not yet started contingency planning for life in the Coca-Cola Championship.

"We are not planning for next season just yet, although it is something which is going on in the minds of everyone in this club," said the manager.

"We are always looking at ways of improving the team on other fronts, but we have certainly not got to the stage where we are planning for one division or the other.

"At the moment, we are a Premiership club and we will hope to play and behave as one.

"If we are lucky and play well enough, we will remain a Premiership team."

Hodgson, who returns to Ewood Park for the first time since he left in 1998, added: "I don't know how many points we will need to stay up.

"That is an easy thing to say at the start of the season - because there are a lot more teams this season in need of those points. Maybe 35-36 points."