Chris Coleman has challenged his Fulham side to follow Everton’s blueprint for success.
The Welshman wants his players to learn from the organisation and work ethic drilled into his troops by his Blues counterpart David Moyes.
Those qualities sparked Everton’s surge into seventh place last season and Coleman, a rookie manager whose trip to Goodison Park is his first away fixture as full-time boss, sees Moyes’ methods as his way to improvement with Fulham.
Coleman said: “David Moyes has turned Everton round. They’re strong, very organised and hard to beat. We’ve also got to be like that. David’s his own man and I’m my own man -but they are a good team and very hard to play against.”
Mohamed Al Fayed’s club opened their 2003- 04 campaign with a pulsating 3-2 victory against Middlesbrough at Queens Park Rangers’ Loftus Road, which was a happy hunting ground for Fulham last term.
Despite fans’ fury about their relocation from Craven Cottage, the tenants bagged 11 home league victories – as many as anyone outside the top four. But away trips were miserable for Fulham supporters, with just two wins from 19 games. Coleman knows their form on the road simply has to improve. `
We were good against Boro on Saturday and need another one of those performances tomorrow to show consistency. Last season, we were terrific at home but not away. So this is a chance for us to make a good start to our away form. But they don’t come much tougher than Everton at Goodison Park.”
Fulham forward Steve Marlet is expected to be involved despite claiming he was joining Marseille earlier this week. Captain Andy Melville will miss out with a foot injury, but Steed Malbranque – superb in the opening day victory over Middlesbrough – has been passed fit to play.