Fulham manager Martin Jol has highlighted belief as key to his side’s hopes of success at Manchester United.
The Cottagers head into Monday’s match against Alex Ferguson’s title-chasing side on the back of a last-gasp defeat at Aston Villa and last weekend’s home thrashing by Swansea.
Those poor results followed a three-game winning streak and Jol believes his side need to regain the confidence they showed during that run on Monday.
“You need a lot of belief in yourself to win there,” the Dutchman said. “Look at Crystal Palace in the cup, they did ever so well.
“My old team Ajax beat them and Blackburn have beaten them, so that is the feeling you need. You need to feel you’re in with a chance otherwise you may as well stay here in London.
“Maybe it is [the biggest challenge in the Premier League] now because they are top of the league, but I can imagine over the last couple of years Chelsea were probably the number one in England.
“Then Man United won the league so it varies, but it is a big game.
“It is one of the biggest games for a club like Fulham, but even when you go to Chelsea or even Arsenal they are probably the same.”
Monday gives Jol another chance to secure a first victory over Manchester United as a manager.
Jol saw his side lose 5-0 at home to United in December and had failed to win in six previous attempts while in charge of Tottenham.
If the Cottagers are to spring a surprise in Manchester, Jol will have to find a way to keep United quiet.
Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick are among those that could be involved for the Red Devils, players Jol knows well from his time at White Hart Lane.
“I think Berbatov has done at United what he did for Spurs, which is score goals,” he said. “Of course it is at a different level, but overall he has done well even though it is difficult for him to get a regular spot in the team.
“For Carrick it is different. He was one of the last youngsters at West Ham and we got him for not a lot of money and he never looked back.
“He was always playing for me, went for big money to United and was a regular and won all the prizes. That is what he wanted and he did it.”
Jol has no new major concerns heading into the game, although he will not be able to call upon third-choice goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.
The Philippines international will be out for at least the next couple of weeks with a wrist problem, while he will also be without long-term absentees Zdenek Grygera, Steve Sidwell and Orlando Sa.
