ADAM Bogdan is confident Wanderers can finish in the top two of the five-club mini-league on which Premiership survival now depends.

The young keeper, who has established himself as Owen Coyle’s number one with a succession of impressive individual performances, says there is a strong belief within the Reebok squad that they can beat the drop.

Echoing the manager’s optimism in the face of adversity, 24-year-old Bogdan is adopting a positive, determined approach to the remaining 11 games that will determine Wanderers’ fate, starting with Saturday’s visit of QPR who – along with Wolves, Blackburn and Wigan – are rivals in the relegation battle.

“We are in a very, very hard situation,” he acknowldged, “so now we have to take it as a mini competition, a mini cup between these teams.

“They are struggling at the moment and we have to pick up points. I believe we can do it and it starts on Saturday.”

Bogdan, currently keeping the long-serving Jussi Jaaskelainen out of the first 11, is constructing a reputation as one of the future stars of the Premier League with outstanding displays. The latest came at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday where his saves kept Wanderers in contention until Mario Balotelli’s 68th-minute goal doubled Manchester City’s lead to secure a 2-0 win that extended the league leaders’ record of home wins in the Premiership to 19.

It was a fourth successive league defeat for Coyle’s men, who remain second bottom of the table, level on 20 points with Wigan, two from safety but 10 behind Aston Villa who are 15th, seemingly clear of relegation danger.

It was a widely-predicted result, but not the rout some had forecast with Wanderers putting in a performance that gave Coyle reason to be optimistic for the challenges ahead when all but one of their remaining games are against teams outside the top five.

That optimism, Bogdan claimed, was because there is still a firm belief among the players that they can secure a 12th successive top-flight season.

“I think it was a really good effort,” he told Wanderers Player on the club’s official website.

“Even when we were 1-0 down we showed belief and had a very good chance when Joe Hart pulled off a fantastic save (from Ryo Miyaichi).

“And even after 2-0 we could have had a couple of opportunities on goal.

“I thought it was a good performance, a good effort but, unfortunately, not enough. But we have to take positive things from the game and be ready for Saturday.”

Bogdan, who last week won his fifth senior cap in Hungary’s 1-1 draw with Bulgaria in a friendly in Gyor, has grown in confidence after becoming a regular on the international scene. But he takes nothing for granted, either for country or club.

“I obviously enjoy playing (for Hungary),” he said. “I’d be lying if I said no.

“It’s a situation for me and I’d like to take it as long as I can.

“It’s a positive thing and I am happy with that, but my job is to play well and stay in the team.”

On the club front, however, Bogdan accepts that it is results rather than individual accolades that matter most - a point illustrated by his Etihad experience .

“I thought, personally, that I didn’t have a bad game,” he added. “Unfortunately, as a team - which is more important - we couldn’t take any points away, so I’m disappointed rather than happy.”