Fulham defender Brede Hangeland has praised Pavel Pogrebnyak for his explosive start to life at Craven Cottage.

Pogrebnyak, 28, has scored five goals in three games since joining on loan from Stuttgart in January, and Hangeland has backed the Russian to continue his goalscoring form.

"If it keeps going like this who knows where it is going to end? I'm very happy for him. The goals are one thing, but he works so hard and that is what you want to see, especially as a defender," Hangeland told The Sun.

"When you look at your strikers you just want them to run around like madmen and that is what they did today, both of them. And for him to score three goals as well is impressive.

"He looks really fit and he looks as if he's adapted to the style of play here in record time, so all credit to him."

Fulham travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.