PHIL Parkinson is confident Wanderers have got enough left in the tank to avoid relegation.

Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Derby County heaped more pressure on the Whites, who now have seen a seven-point lead on the bottom three whittled down to just two.

Barnsley, who occupy the final spot in the bottom three, enjoyed a morale-boosting victory against Sheffield United and also have the luxury of a game in hand.

The two sides meet on Saturday but first Wanderers must host in-form Millwall at the Macron Stadium, where Parkinson will be looking for an immediate reaction from his side.

“I feel we have got the players to get ourselves out of the situation but I feel we have got to rediscover some belief,” he told The Bolton News.

“After the Villa game people were starting to look towards the summer holidays, thinking it was job done. In my mind I knew there was work to do, and that teams around us would pick up points, which they have done.

“Millwall is a huge game now. Whatever system we play, whatever way we play – long ball, short ball, whatever, I am not bothered. I just want to see more resilience.”

Wanderers were comfortably beaten at Pride Park, conceding twice in a one-sided first half, after Parkinson had made five changes to his side.

The under-fire boss stood by his decision to change formation and personnel from an equally-disappointing defeat at home to Birmingham the previous Tuesday, insisting: “We were beaten because we gave two soft goals to a very good team.”

Asked whether the players shared his belief that the club could avoid the drop, he added: “You’ll have to ask them.

“Of course I believe we can stay up. We have had some good victories against better teams in the league, certainly at home, but we have to get our heads together and make sure everyone understands what is required.

“We need more belief. We have been in some tricky situations in my two years at the club, this is another one, but we will dig ourselves out of trouble.”

Wanderers will have to face Millwall without skipper Darren Pratley, who is struggling with a shin injury despite having two painkilling injections into the site.