After Sunday's 2-0 defeat to local rivals Blackburn Rovers in the Barclays Premier League, the Trotters slipped to 18th place in the table.

Gary Megson's side have won only one of their last six top-flight matches, the 3-2 win at home to Everton, and defender O'Brien is determined to help turn around the Trotters' fortunes, starting with a trip to Fulham on Saturday.

The 30-year-old said: "It is all about getting results regardless of individual and collective performances.

"The more wins we get then the better the situation will be. We have to concentrate on the upcoming games away at Fulham and Wolves.

"We have to work hard and stick together to get these results."

Sunday's defeat at the Reebok Stadium was O'Brien's first league appearance of the season, after recovering from a double hernia operation and the former Newcastle United man was pleased to get through the match unscathed.

"My injury definitely hampered me in terms of performance last season but, touch wood, everything has settled down and I am now feeling as strong as I have felt for a while," he said.

"It was my first game since my operation, so I was personally pleased and proud to have got through it.

"The manager has plenty of options at the back and we know we have to perform and I have been pushing to get back into his consideration."