The United States international was in majestic form last night, netting twice in the Cottagers' comprehensive 3-0 home victory over Bolton.

Dempsey followed up a stupendous side volley with a bundled effort at Craven Cottage, before Brede Hangeland added a third with a header.

The victory extended Fulham's unbeaten league run at Craven Cottage to seven matches, having last tasted defeat at the hands of London rivals West Ham on Boxing Day.

The result left last season's UEFA Europa League finalists facing a potential relegation battle but now they lie ninth in the Barclays Premier League table.

And having all but staved off relegation, Dempsey believes the only way is up.

"I would like to think we could do what we did in the past," he said. "That we could be fighting for Europe and push on from there.

"We got to see the way things go but I don't think [last season] was a fluke. I think we have the quality here and hopefully we can show that.

"I would like to think that [we are safe] but there are still four games left and you don't want to be waiting until the last game and stressing.

"I think we are trying to look up, we are trying to make sure we finish in the top half because we feel that we have the quality in our team that we should be a team in the top half.

"That is the main goal now in our four games left."

The midfielder's brace last night saw him break Fulham's club record for most Premier League goals by a single player, with his 33-goal haul seeing him overtake Steed Malbranque and Brian McBride.

Dempsey admitted he knew about the statistic beforehand but insists scoring for the team was his only concern.

"We come two hours before the game and you find yourself bored and there are programmes lying around so you start reading them", he said.

"I looked at that statistic that if I scored against Wolves that would have tied me with [Brian] McBride and Steed Malbranque.

"It was good to get two tonight and be amongst the company and hopefully I can continue to score goals here."

Asked whether he could join the pair as Fulham cult legends, he added: "I don't know about that.

"That is great if that is what people think, I just come out and try my best to help the team win.

"It has been a good four and a half years that I have been here. I still have two years left and I am enjoying my football."

While Fulham's form has seen them yield 19 points out of a possible 21, Bolton have lost nine of their past 10 away games.

The Trotters still lie in eighth thanks to their superb home form and manager Owen Coyle was keen to focus on the positives rather than the negatives after yet another away loss.

"The progress we have made since coming into the football club, I am probably being repetitive, but we came into the club in the bottom three and favourites for relegation," he said.

"I think we sit eighth in the league at the moment, having spent £2million. You look at the league and there are huge clubs below us, having spent £20 or £30million.

"We are always looking to improve, absolutely, and we can improve our home form as well.

"We have lost a couple of games at home so we can improve on that and then we can improve on the away form, absolutely. That goes without saying.

"But what we will do is do it together and try and move forward."