If there's another important feature of Wolves' New Year improvement in both performances and results then goal difference could yet play its part this season.

 

Indeed it may yet prove as crucial as an additional point should Wolves get sucked back into the relegation battle.

 

Prior to switching to the 4-3-3 formation in January, Wolves' had a superior goal difference to only Hull of the seven sides currently fighting it out at the lower end of the Barclays Premier League table.

 

But they head into tomorrow's trip to Fulham with a better goals ratio than all but West Ham of those same seven teams.

 

A goal difference of minus two in the last 13 games has enabled Wolves to catch and then overhaul the majority of their relegation rivals, testament to an improving solidity.

 

One of those responsible, defender Christophe Berra, insists it's an all-round team effort which has helped Wolves both stay in games for longer and also achieve positive results.

 

"It's not just down to the defence, it's down to the team working as a unit," says the Scot.

 

"We've been working well together, attacking as a team and defending as a team.

 

"If the ten outfield players do that then you've always got a chance.

 

"Any team is going to rely on their keeper as well and we've needed Marcus to pull off saves which he has done.

 

"We haven't conceded too many goals like we did on occasions in the first half of the season but we can't afford to get carried away by that.

 

"As soon as you take your foot off the pedal in this division you could end up getting hammered in any game.

 

"We've got to keep on working hard and working together.

 

"The team hasn't changed too much over the last couple of months and the boys have got used to the new formation.

 

"But we're not counting our chickens before they are hatched - we've got four games to go and have still got to get as many points as possible."

 

The first of those games sees Wolves take on Roy Hodgson's team, and a third league double of the season would be a substantial achievement given the fact the Londoners have lost just two of 22 in all competitions on home soil.

 

It remains to be seen what side Hodgson picks tomorrow, but Berra knows it will be packed with quality whether or not it includes Bobby Zamora, whose 19 goals so far have seen him emerge as a candidate for England's World Cup squad.

 

"Performances have been good recently but we've got to keep that going for the next four games," he says.

 

"And we'll definitely have to do that tomorrow because Fulham are a good side, particularly at Craven Cottage, and it's going to be very difficult game.

 

 

"We're going to have to produce a top performance if we're going to come away with anything.

 

"Fulham have got some good strikers.

 

"Zamora must be one of the form strikers in the league at the moment and is scoring a lot of goals.

 

"It looks like he might get an England call-up the way things are going and I think he deserves it from the way he has been playing.

 

"No matter who they've got up front we know it will be a hard game and we'll have to be on the ball to pick anything up."

 

The fact Wolves head to Fulham in such confident mood due to recent events is a sign of how they have developed over the season both as individuals and a team.

 

Berra was one of those Premier League 'rookies' at the start of the campaign but he has maintained an impressive consistency in his 28 league appearances thus far.

 

"I'd played in the top flight in Scotland but that's nothing compared to what it's like down here," he admits.

 

"And only a handful of the squad had played at this level before this season.

 

"Everyone was learning together and hopefully as a result we've all got better.

 

"It's up to us as a squad to continue getting better as well.

 

"As a defender you've just got to be consistent and, touch wood, I think I've done that so far.

 

"There's always room for improvement and areas of my game I can improve on.

 

"I just keep on learning from any mistakes and trying to get better."

 

 

Wolves head into tomorrow with a six-point cushion to the relegation zone and that superior goal difference as mentioned previously.

 

Other results are also like to play a part in potential survival, but Berra believes Wolves can clinch safety by their own efforts rather than the failures of anyone else.

 

"We are all professional footballers and take pride in our performance," he concluded.

 

"We won't take our foot off the pedal not that the gaffer would ever let us do that anyway.

 

"We have to give as much over the last four games as we did the first four games of the season.

 

"And it's always nice to achieve something by your own results rather than relying on anyone else's."

 

* Christophe is yet to open his goalscoring account for Wolves this season.  He is 20-1 to score at any time tomorrow and 50-1 to score first.  Click here for all the odds from our sponsors Sportingbet.com