It’s first versus third in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday afternoon, as league leaders Fulham welcome Stoke City to Craven Cottage.
The two teams sit on 10 points each following unbeaten starts to the campaign, and so Head Coach Marco Silva knows a stern test awaits.
“As always it will be a tough game,” he said in Friday’s pre-match press conference. “Stoke City are a good side with a good plan, good idea.
“They’re clear with their idea of the way they want to play. They will be a tough side to beat, in my opinion.
“They started the season well, they look confident, and they will come here to do their best, and we – Fulham Football Club – at our best level, we can win the game.
“We have our responsibilities in the game. We’re playing at home, with our fans behind us, and we have to play at our best.”
For a long time, the Potters were associated with a direct style of play, but anyone who saw their winning goal last weekend – a slick, fast team move up the pitch – will know that’s no longer the case.
Some are even calling it an early goal of the season contender.
“Of course I saw the goal, and something more,” Silva said. “I have to say it was a good open play moment from them and a good goal, no doubt about it.
“If it will be goal of the season, let’s see what will happen.
“It definitely was a very good moment, the way they moved inside and finalised at the opposite side, the way they created that moment was really good.”
After Stoke, the Whites will have a fortnight until we’re back in action, and Silva is hoping to keep the momentum going heading into the international break.
“We’ve started well, but myself and the football club always want more,” he explained. “We respect all our opponents, and nobody has won anything before the game has been played.
“Our way of preparing for this tough competition is to look at each match at the right moment. Now is the moment, over the last three days, that we are preparing for the Stoke City game.
“Of course, going into the international break, it’s really important if you can finish this month of August in a good spot, in good shape.
“That would be really good, but it’s something that we have to prove tomorrow.
“It will be a very good game, in my opinion, against a tough opponent.”