While Reds' supporters would have been hoping for a good start to life under Stuart Pearce few Fulham fans would have envisaged going into this fixture against the league leaders with their side at the foot of the Championship just months after being in the Premier League.
Saturday's dismal 3-0 defeat at Reading piled more pressure on manager Felix Magath and captain Scott Parker admitted afterwards that his side deserved what they got from the Royals game.
'They dominated the game from start to finish and deserved to wi,' said the former England international midfielder.
Relegation from the top-flight didn't stop some big spending in the summer as Fulham paid £11m to Leeds United for forward Ross McCormack but his presence in the team has done little to stop the downward spiral for the men from West London.