Roy Hodgson has warned the Fulham players it would be "very foolish" to think they have already won the battle to stay in the Premier League.The Cottagers head to Middlesbrough on Saturday having cut the gap to safety down to just three points after they beat Aston Villa 2-1 last weekend with a late goal from Jimmy Bullard.

It was a first taste of success under the former Switzerland, Inter Milan and Blackburn boss, who took over from axed Lawrie Sanchez on December 30.

However, Hodgson knows there remains plenty of hard work ahead if Fulham are to retain their place among the elite clubs of English football.

"I get the feeling the more we work together, the better they know me and the better we play - hopefully that will be good enough to keep us up," he said.

"However, the moment we start believing that because we have got a result somewhere, it means things are going to change and will become much easier, that would be a very foolish step.

"We have to accept that every game is a real test and a challenge - unless we can reproduce 13 times what we did against Aston Villa then we can lose and what advantage we have in being brought closer to the mix will be lost.

"That is my message to the players and that is a message they are very happy to take on board."

Boro are in 13th place, but only five points clear of the drop zone themselves.

Hodgson knows it will be no easy ride at the Riverside.

He said: "They will be quietly confident I would think. They have got a new player come in, big transfer player Alves from Heerenveen, so we expect it to be a very tough game up there."

Fulham have had 12 senior players away on international duty this week.

Hodgson admits he expects "some will be tired" on their return to west London, and will not be able to fully asses all his options until after today's full training session.

"The work we have been doing will not have been affected by the players not being here," reflected the Fulham boss.

"But we accept the international calendar now and you know the players are going to be away, so you just have to accept it."

Hodgson quipped: "Maybe had we been beaten by Villa, it would perhaps have been an advantage not to have seen them for a week."

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