West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson is confident fixing his friendship with Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed.

Hodgson will today come face to face with the side he managed for two-and-a-half years for the first time since his decision to quit Craven Cottage for Liverpool last summer.

Al Fayed launched a personal attack on Hodgson after his defection, saying he hoped the 64-year-old would "take Liverpool downhill" and labelled him a bugger.

"I have been called worse things, and I suppose you can say he was right on the Liverpool thing," he said.

"I think it's true also that he got a better manager in Mark Hughes, who is better looking than me.

"I suppose you can say he is right on all counts, but I was not as ugly when I was younger.

"In some ways I would have been more disappointed if he had not been a bit vicious about my departure, because we had a very good relationship.

"If he had said, 'We don't care', that might have hurt me more.

"I don't know how he feels about me, but I have nothing but good things to say about him. He was an excellent chairman."