These two sides have have had contrasting starts to the season.

Whereas Fulham have found some salvation in the league cup, their two Premier League appearances have resulted in no points and seven goals conceded.

This is probably made more painful by the fact that hitherto, their only additions of note have been a goalkeeper and a defender.

Fulham have the recent history advantage having won that Wembley play-off encounter in 2018 and there’s a surprising number of players still at the London club from that day.

History also narrowly favours Fulham who lead the series by the narrow margin of 25-23 with 22 drawn. They trailed that series until recently but the Cottagers have won the last three matches, including a 2-1 win in January in the FA Cup.

“… there’s a sense of frustration building in the Fulham fan base that games are ticking by and points being lost while the squad still looks like a Championship one.”

But that is history and Fulham now face a league table that looks uncomfortable. Watching one time target Ethan Ampadu perform so well for Sheffield United must irk those who think that recruiting a competent centre half is Scott Parker’s most urgent task.

Seven goals conceded in two league games is not quite a crisis but there’s a sense of frustration building in the fan base that games are ticking by and points being lost while the squad still looks like a Championship one.

That frustration will be re-enforced if they lose to a Villa side who added Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Martinez and Matty Cash in the off-season.

In his pre-match press conference, Fulham manager Scott Parker was rightly keen not to call his side’s third league match out of 38 a must-win.

“I don’t see it as drastic as a must-win,” he explained. “We want to win. I know it’s either high or low in a drastic world, but we need to stay level and take realism of where we are in the campaign and where we are as a team. We will try everything we can to take some points and be up to the challenge.

“I don’t think we’re the only team at this present moment in time who have let in some goals in the first two games. It’s not ideal, of course not. Villa at home on Monday is a game we’re going to try to get three points from and win. That’s the aim.”

Parker praised opposing manager Dean Smith for the work done at keeping Villa in the league and strengthening beyond. He also rubbished any idea that Aston Villa and a certain new recruit will be out for revenge.

“Villa have done very well and recruited well. Ollie Watkins is one of those from Brentford. They have a lot of quality in the side and we understand the dangers they possess.

“We’ll be trying to prepare to nullify their threats and cause them some problems. He’s one of many players who have quality in their side. As a club Villa have gone on to do well. It’ll be a tough game, but Dean’s recruitment has been fantastic”

Fulham are at full strength which presumably means Aleksander Mitrovic will start. Parker does not seem to be panicking but fans will be looking on at this fixtures, as being of the type where Fulham have to pick up points.

“Winning is important, the two games we have won in the cup were with clean sheets.

“The two losses have been in the league. We’ve lost two games along with other teams who are in a similar position.

“When you lose football matches it’s tricky. Clubs are always a lot better with mood and atmosphere when you’re winning. We will lose football matches this year and we can’t let them cripple us. We can’t let them take us into a negative spiral.

“I’ve been in relegation teams before, the one thing that gets them relegated is that spiral effect which slowly dents the confidence and cohesion. It saps you and buries you. We’ve got a lot of games to play.”

Parker’s counterpart at Aston Villa, Dean Smith, has a few injury worries:

“The only ones who won’t be available are Bjorn Engels, Tom Heaton and Wesley.

“Ezri Konsa, everyone told me he had a bit of a hamstring strain at half-time (on Monday), it wasn’t, it was a strain in his glutes.

“But he was fine and he’s back training today (Saturday).

“Apart from that, everybody is good.”

Looking at Fulham, he was polite and almost complimentary:

“It will be another big task.

“I thought they played very well against Leeds United. They went 4-1 down and made a sterling job of coming back and nearly got back into it in the end.

“They’re after their first points of the season.

“We know what it’s like coming up after play-off success, you have a short time to actually celebrate getting up and getting the team ready for the start of the season.

“Scott (Parker) will be looking at our game, I think, and eying it as an opportunity to get three points.

“It will be a difficult place to go, as always, but we feel we’re in decent form at the moment and very tough to beat.”

Tough to beat does not really sound like Fulham so far this season. Smith reckoned his squad was one short of what they needed to compete.

Fulham rested seven and Villa all eleven in midweek League Cup wins, so squad rotation will not weaken either side tonight.

Parker is three or four short most notably a center half and cover for Mitrovic.

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