Why this weekend could prove to be season defining for Fulham

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At lunchtime this Saturday, Fulham will travel to Queens Park Rangers for the most significant match of their season. The Cottagers inexplicably languish just 4 points above the relegation zone, embroiled in a fight against the drop for the second straight year.

The already emotionally charged trip to Loftus Road has become even more important with the prospect of relegation looming. A win here would kickstart Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham career and provide much needed momentum. But a loss would put the Whites even further down in the relegation mix and leave some wondering if Jokanovic’s appointment was the right call.

Fulham and QPR have had a bitter rivalry for many years, and in the Premier League era the Cottagers have held the upper hand. But in recent years the roles have been reversed, with the Whites stuck in the second tier while the QPR have enjoyed the luxuries of the top flight. The gap between divisions had deprived supporters of a derby since 2013.

The last edition of the West London derby occurred in September, following  of QPR’s to the Championship. On that Friday night more than 4 months ago, the Cottagers romped to a comprehensive 4-0 win. Fulham turned in perhaps their best performance in recent memory, led by the dynamic strike duo of Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack. The morale boosting victory left Fulham just one point off the playoffs and left supporters feeling increasingly optimistic about the campaign ahead.

Yet the depressing fact is that Fulham have won just three times since. In the 22 matches following the demolishment of QPR, the Whites have plunged from within touching distance of the playoffs to the depths of a relegation battle. During that four month spell Kit Symons was sacked and replaced by Slavisa Jokanovic.

At the time, the Serbian was hailed by practically everyone involved as a breath of fresh air, a modern manager who employed a successful and attractive brand of attacking football. But the hard truth is that Jokanovic has failed to lead his team to a win since his appointment in late December. Since his first match in charge against Sheffield Wednesday, Fulham have played 6, lost 4, and drawn 2. Hardly inspiring stuff.

QPR sit 6 places and 10 points above the Whites, enjoying mid table mediocrity. Rangers have just come off a win over promotion challengers Ipswich, and they also sport a new manager in the form of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The importance of Saturday’s match cannot be understated. Fulham fans will travel in their thousands to cheer on the Whites in this poisonous derby, and both sides will be up for the challenge. Claiming victory over their London neighbours means so much to the supporters, and the players and manager must have that in mind in the buildup to the match.

There would be no better place for Slavisa Jokanovic to claim his first win as manager than at the home of dreaded rivals Queens Park Rangers. After working his way through an impressive transfer window where both wantaway strikers remained at the club, expectations have been raised for Fulham. Quality has been added to the squad with the grit of centre half Michael Madl and defensive midfielder Rohan Ince, in addition to the pace and trickery of attacker Zakaria Labyad.

It is clear that based on the talent at their disposal, Fulham is far too good to be mired in a relegation fight. Yet that is the unwanted predicament the Whites find themselves in.

But Loftus Road is the perfect place to turn our season around. Promotion is out of the question, but a run up the table will do wonders to improve the confidence of the players. Fulham’s revival must come with a statement win on Saturday. If not, the Cottagers could be staring down relegation to League One. And that is a prospect no one at Craven Cottage dares to entertain.

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