Fulham lie just one place and one point above the EPL’s relegation zone after picking up only one point from their last two home games.

They lost 4-1 to manager Mark Hughes’s previous team Manchester City before a 1-1 draw with Birmingham last weekend, stretching their winless run to five games.

Club owner Mohamed Fayed blasted the players during a training ground visit after the Manchester City match, but Hughes insisted that “it was good that the players heard his views.”

 

Meanwhile, the club will continue legal moves to sack EPL chairman Dave Richards after a row over the Cottagers’ failed attempt to sign England striker Peter Crouch in July 2009.

Hughes admitted City were genuine EPL title contenders, suggesting: “If they can be more attack-minded there is no reason why they should not be contenders.”

And he dismissed relegation talk after Clint Dempsey’s equaliser salvaged a point against Birmingham, saying: “We’re aware of where we are but it’s very tight and we are only five points away from seventh place.”

Hughes confirmed that Fayed had visited Fulham’s training ground visit but revealed: “We had already discussed what we felt about the game so his input was noted.”

The club will take their beef with EPL chairman Richards to the Court of Appeal after a legal ruling this week.

They claim Richards ensured Crouch moved from Portsmouth to Tottenham, to help cash-strapped Pompey and maintain the EPL’s financial reputation. Spurs were offering Pompey £9m up front, Fulham £11m in instalments.