Scott Parker has urged his Fulham side not to dwell on the two defeats that began their Premier League campaign and believes the Whites can prevail against Aston Villa on Monday.

The Fulham boss told his pre-match press conference this afternoon that it was vital that his players did not become gripped in what he described as ‘a negative spiral.’

Football clubs are always a lot better and the atmosphere and the mood is a lot better when you’re winning. But I think I’ve said this from the outset, and it’ll remain my main voice this year, that we’re going to lose football matches this year and we can’t afford them to really cripple us and we can’t take that into a really negative spiral.

As much as we want to win games and we want to try and get points on the board, at the same time we need to stay quite level in what we’re doing. I’ve been involved in relegation teams and the one thing that gets teams relegated in the end is that spiral effect, that knock-on effect it has on you, and the dent in the whole atmosphere and confidence, team spirit and adhesion. In the end it saps you and it buries you really.

I don’t think we’re the only team at this present moment in time who have let in some goals in the first two games, I think there are a few of us down there. Obviously not ideal, of course not, we understand that. Villa at home on Monday, it’s a game you want to try and get three points and we want to win, so that’s our aim and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.

Parker confirmed that Fulham were looking to make defensive additions before the close of the transfer window, but wouldn’t be drawn on how potential deals are progressing.

It (defence) is an area we’re looking to try and improve and trying to get players in and improve us as a team.