Roy Hodgson insists he will draw no extra pride from Fulham's tactics should they escape relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

Victory over FA Cup finalists Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Sunday will secure the Cottagers' eighth successive season in the top flight. A 2-0 triumph over Birmingham last Saturday lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time since Boxing Day.

To Hodgson's credit, Fulham have sought to pass their way to survival but the 60-year-old takes no added satisfaction from using a style that is easy on the eye.

"You coach according to how you think the players you have should be best used," he said. "For the players we have, the way we play is the best way to use them.

"If, for example, we had Peter Crouch with some other 6ft 4in centre forward, then maybe our best way of playing would be to hit much longer balls.

"I don't believe one style is better than another. It's all football. The fans, though, do seem to appreciate the fact that we are able to pass the ball around."