Fulham will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a rather meek second half capitulation to Liverpool last Sunday when an in-form Crystal Palace side come to Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The Eagles appear totally transformed under the management of Oliver Glasner and have won their last three league fixtures with the return of star players Ebere Eze and Michael Olise to their midfield proving particularly pivotal. Glasner’s influence has also extended to getting a tune out of striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has found the net eight times since the Austrian was appointed as Roy Hodgson’s successor at Selhurst Park in February.

An impressed Marco SIlva waxed lyrical about both Glasner’s start in the Premier League and the quality of Palace’s attacking talent during his pre-match press conference yesterday, but the Fulham head coach typically insisted that the London derby will likely be decided by whether his side are able to hit their ‘top level’ – something they fell short of again last weekend. The Whites have looked far more formidable at home than away from the Cottage this season but they have suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since last season.

Silva’s side sorely missed the influence of the experienced Willian on the left flank against Liverpool. The Brazilian veteran’s availability after suffering a minor groin strain in the lead up to last weekend’s fixture is a real boost – even as the head coach contemplates how to keep the former Chelsea and Arsenal man at Craven Cottage beyond this summer. Willian’s game intelligence and his ability to retain possession in tight areas of the field, as well as to float beyond defenders, gives Fulham’s attack another outlet and, as Silva suggested yesterday, they look far stronger with him on the field.

That may not be the only alteration after the Whites failed to match Liverpool’s intensity after the break last Sunday. Tosin Adarabioyo’s declaration that he will be rejecting Fulham’s ‘bumper’ contract extension offer and leaving Fulham on a free transfer at the end of the season might persuade Silva, who has been really consistent in pairing the former Manchester City man with Calvin Bassey at the heart of his back four, to reintroduce Issa Diop to his defence. Adarabioyo’s form has waned badly in recent weeks so a change would not solely be related to the defender’s decision to seek pastures new.

Fulham probably also need a bit more creativity in the middle of the park to pose problems for a well-drilled Palace outfit. Sasa Lukic has been brilliant alongside Joao Palhinha in the engine room, but the craft of Tom Cairney’s passing and his guile is often limited when he comes on late in games. The Scottish international could have a real impact in helping the home side get through the lines and find more space for Andreas Pereira in the number ten possession as well as keeping the visitors wary of committing considerable numbers forward in the early stages. Such a move might make the game a little open – but that is in keeping with Silva’s adventurous style.

Other personnel changes are possible but Silva really needs a shift in mentality from his players to avoid another strong season petering out before the end of the campaign. There have been signs of sloppiness creeping in over the past few weeks. There’s no doubt that Fulham have done brilliantly to avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight for two seasons in a row and emphatically avoided the constant yo-yoing between the top division and the Championship that had previously characterised Shahid Khan’s tenure by the banks of the Thames, but a winner like Silva will want more. His side have shown that they can compete with the very best on their day, but consistency is the key – and a strong end to the season could convince a number of key players not to follow Tosin out the door over the summer.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop, Bassey; Palhinha, Cairney; Iwobi, Willian, Pereira; Muniz. Subs: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Reed, Lukic, De Cordova-Reid, Wilson, Traore, Jimenez.