Fulham manager Chris Coleman has urged Fulham fans to greet Sean Davis with hostility when the former club favourite returns to Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Davis - a product of Fulham's academy system - joined Tottenham during the summer, enraging Cottagers supporters who saw the move as another slap in the face following his failed bid to join Everton almost a year earlier.

The Clapham-born midfielder's dream transfer to Goodison had been called off by the Toffees on medical grounds and he was forced to return to south London, where Coleman welcomed him back into the fold.

But despite pledging his allegiance to the Fulham cause once again, the restless 25-year-old handed in another transfer request in July and was snapped up by Jacques Santini's Spurs.

Davis faces his former club for the first time when Spurs travel across the Thames for the Barclays Premiership showdown against their London rivals - and Coleman hopes a frosty reception is waiting for him.

"I don't want the crowd to give him a welcome back. He's a good player and a dangerous player so I hope they make him feel uncomfortable, or just ignore him," said the Fulham manager.

"He did really well for us and has done well since he's been at Tottenham. If he plays tomorrow no doubt he will be a threat.

"But I don't think about the opposition, especially players who have been at the club because my team will already know about him.

"Sean's name hasn't even been mentioned in the build-up to the match."

Injuries and suspension have hit Fulham hard this season and the news that Holland goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is out with a back problem would usually be greeted by a grimace from Coleman.

But second choice stopper Mark Crossley gave such an inspired display in the 1-0 Carling Cup victory over Birmingham in midweek that Coleman would have omitted van der Sar from his starting line-up anyway.

He said: "I've always said if people play well they keep the jersey and Mark played very well on Wednesday. If I didn't keep him in the team it would make me a hypocrite, so he will start.

"But Edwin has picked up a knock anyway so that decision has been taken away from me anyway.

"Edwin was in the gym working out and his back stiffened up.

"Injuries are the trend at this club at the moment."

Crossley made his second start of the campaign against Birmingham - equalling his entire appearance tally for Fulham last season - and Coleman was gushing in his praise of the Welsh international.

"Mark has been superb. He's never knocked on my door when we've been conceding goals and asked what's happening. He's worked hard in training and kept his mouth shut," he said.

"He has a big influence on the squad and he's very popular. The lads respect him because of his attitude and the way he goes about his business.

"I was delighted with him on Wednesday night because he's kept quiet, come in and taken his chance. Good for him."

Defoe scored twice - his first goals in five games - as Tottenham followed their 6-0 thumping of Oldham with a nailbiting 4-3 victory over Bolton to book a fourth-round tie against Burnley.

The extra-time victory took Tottenham's Carling Cup goals tally to 10 in two games, four more than they have managed in the Premiership all season.

But Santini assured Tottenham supporters the Premiership goals will start to flow soon - perhaps as early as Saturday's clash at Fulham.

"Jermain scored two goals I would like him to score every game, it's important for him and for the team that he scores," said Santini.

"Jermain must play well game after game. He did not have a good performance at Portsmouth and I hope now for the next game that Jermain and everyone else will play well because we need a good result.

"I think in the next month there will be a good solution to our goalscoring.

"In certain matches we have had a lot of chances - against Norwich we had six or seven good chances to score but their goalkeeper Robert Green had a good game.

"I'm confident in my team, I know we need time but I am confident that in the next game we will have possibilities to score more goals and get a good result."

Santini has long conceded that Tottenham are not challenging for a place in next season's Champions League but he will not allow the Carling Cup, despite the goals and its obvious attractions as a route into Europe, to become a distraction.

Tottenham have lost three of their last four league games and slipped down to 10th place, prompting Santini to remind his players what their main focus must be in this transition season.

"The cup is very different to the championship and after two defeats it was a good reaction from my young team," he said.

"For me the most important game is now Fulham on Saturday because we must stay in the top 10, we must have a good result against what it is a very tough side.

"When I say it is important for my team to stay in the top 10 it's because my team has played some good games to start the season and it's a pity now that we have dropped down the table.

"It's very important for the spirit of the team, for the morale of players and fans to stay in the top 10."

Santini will wait until after Friday's training session before judging which players have sufficiently recovered from the extra-time drama at Bolton.

"My team is very tired because we played for two hours and then had a long trip back," said Santini.

"I hope after our final session we will have good news."