There’s not a fixture that Scott Parker will view as a small game this season, but he did admit that Monday’s clash could take on extra significance.
Following promotion from the Championship by both sides last season, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are now two of four clubs searching for a first Premier League win.
A victory for Parker’s men on Monday would see us leapfrog the Baggies in the table.
“We are only six games in, but in saying that, it’s a big, big game for us,” he said in Thursday’s pre-match press conference.
“We sit on one point, West Brom sit on three, and there are other teams who are in and around it down there, so of course this is a huge game for us.
“But I don’t think we’ll lose sight that after that we’ve got West Ham, Everton, Leicester, Man City – they’re all going to be big.
“I think Slaven [Bilic] will be the same this year in terms of where he sees his team, it’s probably where we are, so this is a real big game for both teams because you want to try and take some points off each other.
“Every game is massive for us, but this one has got a little bit extra.”
There was nothing to separate the sides last season, with an early 1-1 draw at the Cottage followed up by a goalless encounter at the Hawthorns just three months ago.
Parker, though, believes Albion are a stronger outfit now than they were then: “West Brom have spent a bit of money, they’ve brought in a couple of front half players, one who was there last year, and I think we’ve all seen his quality – a fantastic player in [Grady] Diangana.
“The boy [Karlan] Grant has added some experience as well, so they’re definitely an improved team.
“I think it’s got the makings of a very good game, I sense it will be a very tight - and a very good - one.”