Roy Hodgson today revealed how he is bracing himself against the possible loss of Fulham's two best players, central defender Brede Hangeland and midfield dynamo Jimmy Bullard, in the January transfer window.

Hodgson could well become a victim of his own success in introducing Hangeland to the Premier League last January and turning Bullard into a player good enough to earn an England call-up.

Ahead of tomorrow's clash at Stoke, the boss said: "It is not in our interest to let players go, so we are going to try desperately to hang onto the good players we've got."

To that end Fulham have begun talks with Bullard aimed at offering the 29-year-old an extension to a contract which has 18 months to run.

The greater loss, however, would be Hangeland. Hodgson signed the Norwegian from FC Copenhagen in January and he made an immediate impact in Fulham's successful fight against relegation.

Hodgson said: "If we lose Brede we shall miss him. But it will be a fact of life and we'll have to get on with it."