Fulham’s first home game of the season arrives with a feelgood factor fizzing around the fanbase following two crucial signings completed in the wake of last Friday’s agonising defeat by Manchester United. Sander Berge, linked heavily a move to Old Trafford this summer, arrives from Burnley as a midfielder of real repute, whilst the surprise return of Joachim Andersen – which gathered pace only over the last weeks – serves as a significant boost to Marco Silva following the loss of a couple of centre backs over the course of pre-season. The Fulham head coach suggested during yesterday’s press conference that a forward should arrive before the end of the transfer window and there is a real sense that the Whites’ transfer business has stepped up since Shahid Khan returned to the UK.

Silva also spoke of his disappointment at the failure to gain even a point from Fulham’s opening fixture at Old Trafford. In what was an open game, his side were hit by a late sucker punch having created a number of good opportunities on the counter attack. The pain of the failure of Andreas Pereira and company to make the right decision in the real third still remains but, a week on, there is at least the realisation that Silva’s side once again went toe-to-toe with the champions – and, perhaps with more minutes in the legs of Emile Smith Rowe among others, the precise passing and probing at pace will alter any predictability about the Whites in attack this term.

Fulham’s success on their return to the top flight over the past two seasons has largely been built on picking up points at home. Silva’s style might well evolve in the absence of Joao Palhinha and Willian – both were missed in Manchester for different reasons – but you could at least see the signs of a new method during ninety largely encouraging minutes. Fulham fans might be more used to watching Pereira in the number ten role, but the Brazilian has played most of his football in the more orthodox central midfield position he filled alongside Sasa Lukic last Friday. The playmaker’s link up with Smith Rowe and then Alex Iwobi and the lightning fast Adama Traore on the flanks gives Fulham’s approach play a different look from last season – whilst Pereira’s deeper position should help the Whites progress the ball up the pitch more easily as they try to play out from the back.

Silva revealed that Berge, a £20m signing from Burnley, is not fit enough to start against the Foxes this afternoon and, at the time of writing, it remains unclear whether Andersen’s move was completed in time for him to feature. Both will undoubtedly make Fulham stronger – even if the biggest worry we have about this side is the regularity of goals that they can deliver. Much depends on the effectiveness of Rodrigo Muniz, who toiled manfully in Manchester for little reward, and perhaps that explains why Silva is seeking further forwards in the final days of the window.

Leicester, coached by the underrated Steve Cooper, will present a tough proposition at the Cottage. The Foxes fought to claim a creditable draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night and the reuniting of Oliver Skipp and Harry Winks, two Tottenham academy graduates, in the engine room should give the newly-promoted side an injection of guile alongside the classy Wilfred Ndidi, who shone in their Championship success last season. Cooper will have do without the injured trio Patson Daka, Conor Coady and Jakub Stolarczyk, but Craven Cottage should give a rapturous reception to the returning Bobby De Cordova-Reid, whose role in the club’s recent rise cannot be understated.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Diop, Bassey; Lukic, Pereira; Traore, Iwobi, Smith Rowe; Muniz. Subs: Benda, Castagne, Sessegnon, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney, Sessegnon, Stansfield, Jimenez.