Fulham striker Bobby Zamora believes former boss Roy Hodgson will help turn Liverpool's foundering season around and insists there is "no way on earth" the Reds will still be at the wrong end of the Premier League in May.
Hodgson guided Zamora and his team-mates to a shock Europa League final berth last season, but the former Inter Milan manager has found himself under increasing pressure in recent weeks as a series of shambolic results have tainted the start of his Anfield tenure. Three defeats in the opening seven league games, including an embarassing home reversal to Blackpool last weekend, have seen the Reds slip to 17th in the table, leading many to question whether Hodgson has what it takes to manage a big club.
But Zamora, who enjoyed his best season under Hodgson's watchful eye in 2009-10, has no doubt that his former boss has the credentials to steer Liverpool away from the Premier League relegation zone and admits that he was "gutted" to see Hodgson leave Craven Cottage in the summer.
"I was majorly disappointed," Zamora told ESPNsoccernet. "He was tremendous for Fulham and tremendous for myself and I was gutted that he chose to leave. But it is Liverpool and they gave him the opportunity to manage; I obviously understand where he is coming from."
Asked whether Hodgson is the right man to reverse Liverpool's fortunes, Zamora said: "Definitely. It's early days and there's no way on earth Liverpool or Everton should be anywhere near there and I'm sure both teams will be well up the league come the end [of the season].
"His organisational skills are what he's about, making players play as a team. He's mastered that and you've seen that with us in the last couple of years. He's good at his man-management and getting the best out of players and I am sure he will do well there."
Zamora himself was linked with a move to Liverpool over the summer but the striker, who earned his first England cap as a Fulham player in August, insists there was no approach for him to join his former boss.
Asked if there was any interest from Liverpool, Zamora said: "Not that I know of. Fulham made it clear that they didn't want to sell me to anyone for any sort of money - they made that statement in offering me a new contract and I was happy to sign and stay there."