PREM: Fulham v Crystal Palace preview

Fulham v Crystal Palace preview

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."

 

Fulham will be without new signing Alfie Mawson, with the centre-back sidelined until September after having a knee operation, while Dennis Odoi is suspended.

However, the Cottagers are likely to hand a number of summer signings their Premier League debuts, including club-record buy Jean Michael Seri and Germany winger Andre Schurrle.

Meanwhile, Palace are also set to field new boys Cheikhou Kouyate, Vicente Guaita and Jordan Ayew at the Cottage.

 

But Hodgson confirmed Max Meyer will not feature after having not played competitively since April, with the German "needing a bit more work" before he's ready. The midfielder is hoping to make his debut later this month, while defender Scott Dann is still a few weeks away from full fitness.

And both Jonny Williams and Connor Wickham miss out through injury.