TAKE CAIR NOT TO TALK UP FULHAM’S SURVIVAL HOPES

TOM CAIRNEY admits Fulham are fighting a losing battle to stay up and insists this season is now about rebuilding for what comes next.

Cairney and the Cottagers lost their seventh game in a row on Sunday when they went down 2-1 at home to Liverpool. Caretaker important for us to think the way he wants us to think as well.

“We’ve shown how good a team we’re becoming. We’re a force to be reckoned with, so it’s important for us to come back fit from the internationals for the final bit of the season, to put our all into the final games remaining.”

It is five years since the Mersey men were so closely involved in a title run-in, when an infamous slip by Steven Gerrard against Chelsea at Anfield enabled Manchester City to become champions.

“This is massive,” AlexanderArnold, 20, said. “I was a fan during the 13-14 season when we went so close, so it’s nice to be involved in it again.

“You don’t get to say that many times in your career. It’s about trying to embrace it, trying to soak it all up.

“Hopefully we’ll be successful at the end of the season.” boss Scott Parker’s strugglers remain 13 points from safety with seven games left – a gap no team has ever recovered from so late in the season.

And with Manchester City the next visitors to the Cottage after the international break on Saturday week, the club are already making plans for life in the Championship. Cairney (left) said: “There’s definitely a better atmosphere and vibe around the training ground now and among the fans.

“But it’s looking unlikely we are going to stay up, the point difference is massive and we’re running out of games.

“It’s not the season we dreamed of and I think it’s about a bigger picture now of rebuilding the club.

“We lost a little bit of what we had last season and for a number of reasons it didn’t go right.”

Team-mate Kevin McDonald wants Parker to stay on even if the club goes down, saying: “I hope he stays because he can bring everyone together.”