Watford boss Roy Hodgson believes the battle for survival against Newcastle United, Burnley, and Norwich City will be a 'dogfight'.
The former Crystal Palace manager was appointed as Claudio Ranieri's successor at Vicarage Road on January 25, and the Hornets are two points adrift of safety with two matches in hand.
However, Watford suffered a heavy defeat to relegation rivals Norwich in their last outing with a performance that cost Ranieri his job, and face Burnley on Saturday in another crucial encounter at the bottom.
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Newcastle earned a vital victory at Leeds United in their last outing and secured three further signings in the January window, but the Magpies still sit in the bottom three having played more matches than both Burnley and Watford.
Hodgson's side are winless in their last nine matches in all competitions, but the 74-year-old is confident the squad at his disposal are capable of avoiding relegation.
The Watford boss told reporters at his first press conference: “It’s more than possible.
“I wouldn’t have accepted the challenge had I not believed we could help the club stay in the Premier League.
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating and it’s important the players react well and they can produce the level of performances that are going to be necessary.
“This league in terms of relegation is a dogfight.”
Hodgson has never suffered relegation from the Premier League in his lengthy career to date, but came closest to that fate with Fulham in the 2007/08 season.
The Cottagers stayed up by virtue of goal difference, and the former England manager believes it will be a similarly tight battle for the remainder of this season.
He added: “It’s pretty similar to Fulham.
“It’s going to be a real dogfight this year because the teams at the bottom are all a little bit adrift and with 18 games to go you’re very worried that a defeat is going to put you further back.
“We don’t underestimate the task and the club know this is a fight and that the players are good enough to keep them in the league.
“They’ve entrusted Ray (Lewington) and I to mould them into a team to get points from the remaining games.”
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