"If we don't win against Everton it is possible to drop close to the bottom half of the table and nobody wants that. We have enjoyed all the good publicity for the club and none of us wants to go back to smaller headlines. Maybe we have to be a bit meaner and get back to basics a bit. We need a couple of good results to get rid of that losing feeling."
Van der Sar admitted he was at fault for the second goal at Middlesbrough when he dropped a cross but said the team's away form has let them down since their celebrated 3-1 win at Manchester United in October.
They have only taken one point on their travels since and manager Chris Coleman is now facing the difficult time he anticipated at the start of the season. He has several players out of form and confidence is slipping from the team with the Louis Saha-Manchester United affair causing an unhelpful distractionin the background. Such an episode is unlikely to be good for team spirit and Coleman needs all of his players committed to the cause if he is to enjoy the second half of the season.
Midfielder Sean Davis said: "We are going to have to stick together. It is easy to say that when you are fourth in the league but when there is a dogfight that is when the character has to show through.
"We know what is wrong so we can put it right. Hopefully we have got enough team spirit to get a result against Everton."
Fulham's Alain Goma ( hamstring) and Jerome Bonnissel (ankle) will have late fitness tests. Mark Pembridge (calf) is set to be out until the end of the month while Moritz Volz is unlikely to have signed from Arsenal in time to play.
Everton have doubts over Kevin Kilbane (dead leg), Alan Stubbs (groin) and Thomas Gravesen (knee). Wayne Rooney (stomach), David Weir (knee) and Alessandro Pistone ( shoulder) should all be fit to play.
