Fulham's Stalteri claims the belief is back as Cottagers grapple with battle to avoid the drop

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"Belief, it's an easy word to say," conceded Fulham's on-loan full back Paul Stalteri, whose side face Liverpool at home today.

Stalteri (right) battles for the ball against Chelsea

"But if you really have it, there is a massive difference."

Last season it was Stalteri's last-minute goal for Tottenham that consigned West Ham to a 4-3 defeat, after which the Hammers launched their incredible revival.

Stalteri's feeling is that Fulham's defeat by Sunderland two weeks ago has had a similar effect.

"Everyone wrote us off," said Stalteri. "If we hadn't won the game against Reading, our backs would really have been against the wall.

"But the gap to Birmingham is only four points now and by beating Reading we have brought another team into it."

Fulham's victory over a virtual Liverpool reserve team at the same stage last year assured their survival, but matters are very different now.

"Victory last year secured Fulham's safety," said Stalteri. "Now victory would give us great momentum, but we will have a lot left to do. We have to play three teams who are in the top eight of the Premier League."

Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan has warned relegation rivals Birmingham, just two points ahead with a derby tomorrow against Aston Villa, that all the pressure is on them.

Nolan, whose side face Middlesbrough today, was in Sam Allardyce's Bolton team who survived on the final day five years ago after a gruelling battle to hold off West Ham.

He said: "We were just above West Ham and it was all about making sure we stayed in front. It's harder being in that situation. I wouldn't like to be in Birmingham's shoes now."