This midweek sees Sheffield Wednesday head to Craven Cottage for the second time in little more than two months.
Our last Championship match in SW6 saw Fulham come out on top of an eight-goal thriller, but the Owls have tightened up at the back this season, securing clean sheets in each of their four matches.
It’s form which means Scott Parker knows his side will face a stern test of their credentials in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday (7pm).
“We played against them last season, not too long ago at the Cottage, so we’re familiar with Sheffield Wednesday,” he told fulhamfc.com.
“They’re a strong side, we know that, we saw that last time we played against them. We had some good moments, but they showed that they can cause you some problems.
“They do look solid. They play with a back-five that’s hard to break down, and they do have quality in their side, I think we’ve seen that.
“They’ve started the season very well, so we won’t be taking them lightly. We realise the quality they have and what they possess, so we’ll prepare the best we can.
“It’s going to be a tough game, as always, but it’s another opportunity for us to get out there, get some football in players’ legs, and for us as a team to continue working on what we’re trying to do.”
Parker made nine changes to his side in the previous round against Ipswich Town, and he will again be using Wednesday’s tie as an opportunity to get players up to speed.
This time, though, the Whites will be aided by an extra two days before we’re in action again, with our Premier League clash with Aston Villa pushed back to Monday.
“That’s going to be helpful,” Parker admitted. “It helps obviously the lads’ recovery, it gives us more time to prepare going into Villa and work out how we can go about the job there.
“It freshens people up a little bit more, so that’s going to be important for us.
“We’re another week down the road, with more training, more football that the lads have had. But there’s no hiding from the fact that these games are vitally important for us at the moment, because we’ve not had a pre-season.
“We’ve not been back long, the players are a little bit undercooked, and this is a perfect time for us to get these games in the lads. And also to develop, like I say, as a team is vitally important as well.
“There’s no injuries really. We’re at full strength, everyone’s good, so I’ve got a full squad to pick from.
“As always, it’s about balancing which players need it and where they are in their fitness, so those are the decisions I have to make.”