Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has decided against sending out-of-favour striker David Healy out on loan despite having brought in three other front-men in the January transfer window.

Former Inter Milan and Blackburn boss Hodgson has almost completely remodelled the Fulham side since replacing Lawrie Sanchez at the turn of the year in a desperate bid to avoid relegation.

But ahead of Saturday’s must-win London derby at home to West Ham Hodgson gives the distinct impression of keeping most of his well-stocked playing staff on board for the rest of the campaign.

Defender Ian Pearce has joined Southampton on loan but Healy, who scored five goals in 19 appearances for former manager Sanchez, is staying with Hodgson - for the time being at least.

Hodgson said: “There has been an inquiry for David but I’ve decided not to let him go at the moment. That could change with circumstances but he is a goalscorer and may still come in useful for us.”

Hodgson’s judgement is no doubt also coloured by the fact he is still trying to push through a deal for Rangers’ Gabon striker Daniel Cousin whose move is being held up while FIFA consider whether to grant him special dispensation to join a third club in a season having also turned out for Lens in France.

But Clint Dempsey, Hameur Bouazza and newcomers Eddie Johnson and Erik Nevland are also battling for a front-line place with fit-again McBride and Healy in a side that has been lining up 4-5-1 lately under Hodgson.

Fulham have won only four league games all season, the most recent a vastly encouraging 2-1 home success against Aston Villa and they are still just three points from safety despite another defeat at Middlesbrough on their last outing two weeks ago.

Hodgson, though, agrees with the assessment of rival manager Alan Curbishley whose Hammers somehow beat the drop last term with seven wins in their last nine games after looking doomed.

Fulham have 12 matches left - including home games with Manchester United and Liverpool and a trip to Arsenal - and Hodgson said: “We will need a bit of luck as much as anything else. West Ham certainly survived some scares.

“We could do with some of the same sort of luck they had in games towards the end of last season when quite a few of their opponents felt results were unjustified, but the main thing is that you have still got to go out there and aim to play well.

“We can certainly use what West Ham achieved as a flagship - an example in our minds.

“And the fact is we do need to win quite a few more games as soon as possible. I accept they are all must-win games now but you don’t always win them and I know what happens to the teams that don’t.

“You can also play badly and win sometimes and we will take that if it happens but the only thing you can do is work hard and I think we have wisely used the little break that has been forced on us.

“I’ve now got a lot of options within the squad and obviously I am going to upset some players with decisions on who plays and who doesn’t but that is what my job is all about and I have long accepted that. I certainly don’t go around every individual who doesn’t play and tell him why.”