Joao Palhinha sees Saturday’s meeting with Bournemouth as a chance for Fulham to bounce back from the disappointment of back-to-back defeats.

The Portuguese international was suspended for the 4-1 defeat by Newcastle – where the Whites were always up against it once his replacement Nathaniel Chalobah was sent off after eight minutes – and then frustrated after Marco Silva’s side were beaten at West Ham last Sunday, where refereeing controversies proved to be the major talking point. Palhinha, clearly Fulham’s signing of the summer, told the club’s official website that the tussle with the Cherries offers an opportunity to turn the page.

“We’re just thinking about the next one. We need to continue to improve. Of course, we don’t feel very happy with the result because at the end of the match we felt like it was possible to win. We have value, we have quality to get a better result. We need to keep improving to assimilate the ideas of our coach. I think this game comes in a good moment for us.

“We are disappointed because of the result but we are looking now for the next game – a final. Every game is a final for us, so we want all the support in our home against Bournemouth. This is the most important thing right now. All the games at our home are special. I prefer to play in our home, in our stadium, Craven Cottage.

“We’ve started well. We need to keep the good work. I feel it would be better if we had more victories, of course, because we had some games where I feel that we could have got better results – against West Ham, Tottenham.”

The former Sporting Lisbon midfielder also revealed that he relishes the heat of the battle in the engine room – admitting that he has set a target to be one of the most successful tacklers in the top flight.

It’s my objective, it’s one of my characteristics in my game. I want to do more. If I had a game where I saw I didn’t do so many tackles I wouldn’t feel very happy with myself. One of my objectives this season is to be in the top three; if I’m the man with the most tackles in the Premier League I will be happy.

“It’s part of my game where I know I’m strong, but I want to improve other things in my game, to continue my job. In the midfield I have good partners in my team who help me a lot. It’s not just me, my teammates help me a lot. I try to help give the same help, so it’s all about the collective game, to give all that we have.”