Match Preview
Fulham vrs Crystal Palace
Premier League Match Day 01 1819 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 11th August 2018 KO: 15:00
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
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Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has tempered expectations at Craven Cottage, insisting his side's primary goal is to survive in the Premier League ahead of their season opener with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Cottagers, who returned to the top flight by beating Aston Villa in last season's Championship play-off final, have spent £100m over the summer in bringing 12 players to the club.
However, the Serb urged caution ahead of Saturday's home clash with Palace.
"We arrived last in the Premier League, so our principal target has to be to stay up," he said.
"I prefer walking step by step. It's better for us to think in this way and we will see at the end of the season what our level is."
Opposite number Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, says he is happy with his club's business in the summer transfer window.
"I think we have enough players now including a couple that have come back off loans, Jonny Williams and Sullay Kaikai, which further expands the squad and Scott Dann is making tremendous progress," said the Palace boss, who signed a new two-year deal on Friday.
"So we should have a more than big enough squad of players and most importantly of all, we have kept those players who did so well for us last season after such a bad start and helped us to such a decent finish in the league."
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Crystal Palace's sole win in their last eight matches against Fulham was 2-0 in the Premier League at Selhurst Park in 2004.
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The Eagles have not won at Craven Cottage since a 3-2 triumph in the second tier in 1986.
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There have been 13 goals scored in the last three matches between the clubs.
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Including the play-offs, Fulham won 20 and lost only two of their final 27 Championship matches.
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Fulham's last league defeat at Craven Cottage was 2-0 by Bristol City on 31 October 2017.
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The Whites have kept clean sheets in each of their past five Premier League opening fixtures.
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Fulham have not lost an opening day home fixture since a 2-1 third tier defeat by Tranmere in 1989.
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This game marks their 500th top-flight home match. The first was in 1949.
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Crystal Palace ended 2017-18 unbeaten in six games, including four wins.
- Both of Palace's opening day Premier League wins have been in away games: against Everton in 1997 and Norwich in 2015.
- The Eagles won only one of their eight London derbies last season.
- Roy Hodgson was Fulham's manager between 2007-10 and led them to the 2010 Europa League final, where they lost to Atletico Madrid.