Fulham boss Roy Hodgson says Premiership survival has to be their first target this season.

"This is such a strong league," he told fulhamfc.com. "You could finish fifth, sixth or seventh one year but you can't rule out the possibility that the following year is going to see you fighting off relegation.

"If we do get ourselves into trouble, by a few dodgy results or performances, I've got hope we've got the skill and the character to get ourselves back out of it like we did in the so called 'Great Escape' in the first season I came here.

"There are a few teams in the Premier League that we wouldn't contemplate being in the bottom half of the table but the majority of us, if we're honest, wouldn't be that bold to say, 'this can't happen to us,' because it can. Modesty and humility will certainly have to be the order of the day."