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Fulham will temporarily move up to fourth in the Championship is they can secure a victory over West London rivals QPR at Craven Cottage on Friday evening.

Scott Parker's side have made a stuttering start to the second-tier season following their relegation from the top-flight last term, but they can secure their eighth league win of the campaign against the Rs in this upcoming meeting.

The Cottagers would have been hoping to have performed better during their return season to the Championship, but the goalscoring exploits of star man Aleksandar Mitrovic have ensured that Parker's side are still competing at the top end of the table.

The Serbia international has been in electric form in front of goal this term to net 12 goals in his 16 appearances, but Fulham will need to cope without his services on Friday with the striker unavailable for the clash due to suspension.

This will be the first time Fulham will have to manage without the 25-year-old in the league so far this term, and Parker will need to ensure he establishes an effective playing strategy which eliminates his side's reliance on Mitrovic's prolific goalscoring record.

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The absence of Mitrovic should mean that Cardiff loanee Bobby Reid leads Fulham's attacking line against Mark Warburton's side, with Reid having been deployed in a variety of roles behind the front man so far this term.

However, it now seems logical for Reid to be tasked with filling the void left by Mitrovic for this one match, and this makes it the perfect opportunity for him to open his account for the London outfit having not got on the scoresheet so far.

The 26-year-old has still managed to produce a number of eye-catching performances for Parker's side, but he will now be eager to get off the mark for the Cottagers given that he managed to score an impressive 19 goals during his last Championship season.

He recorded this tally while plying his trade at Bristol City during the 2017/18 season, and the fact he might well lead Fulham's line on Friday evening means he has every chance of re-discovering this goalscoring form against the Rs.

It is a big night for Reid as it would increase Fulham fans' trust in him if he can get on the scoresheet while delivering a strong performance, and this would provide reassurance that the club does have back-up options when Mitrovic is absent.

There is a risk Fulham could depend too heavily on Mitrovic this term, but an assured performance from Reid on Friday night would go some way to easing these concerns.