It was hardly the best final preparation for the clash with Arsene Wenger’s title contenders, but the £1.5m import from Leeds, who looks certain to spearhead the Fulham attack alongside £6m buy Diomansy Kamara, sees no reason to panic just yet.

He confessed: “We didn’t perform the way we know we can and the way we have in previous games.

“We let ourselves down at QPR but that is what pre-season is all about and hopefully the bad performance is now out of the way.

“Whether we had won or lost we have still got a very big game on Sunday at Arsenal. That is what we must now focus on and at least we have had another competitive run-out with a clean bill of health in terms of injuries.”

He told the club’s official website www.fulhamfc.co.uk: “It is a massive opener for us on Sunday.

“There will be a lot of pressure because we’re going to the Emirates to take on Arsenal and nobody will give us a prayer of getting a result.

“Hopefully we can take that and turn it to our advantage and come away with a result.

“The good thing is we are all where we want to be in terms of fitness for the season, and everybody is looking forward to this first big challenge.”

Fulham are reported to have agreed a fee with Watford for another striker, Hameur Bouazza, who has been rated at £5m by the relegated Hertfordshire club, although the Cottagers have yet to confirm the deal.