ulham manager Chris Coleman is desperate for the victory which would save his side from the unwanted stigma of going through a Premiership season without an away win.
With just seven away games to go the pressure is mounting and Fulham face a difficult task against a Manchester United side smarting from Wednesday night's 4-3 defeat at Blackburn.
But Coleman denies Blackburn boss Mark Hughes, his former Welsh international team-mate, has done him a favour by undermining United with the midweek victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
"I've known Mark for 20 years and he's never done me a favour," joked Coleman, before insisting that United's setback makes no difference to the size of the job facing his players.
"If United had beaten Blackburn they would have been in a good stride, playing with confidence. But they lost so are we going to get the backlash?
"It doesn't make any difference. It's going to be a tough game against one of the best clubs in the world, simple as that," said Coleman who has a good reason to look back favourably on visiting Old Trafford.
In his first season - as the youngest boss in the Premiership - his side pulled off a 3-1 away victory over United.
Coleman, who hands a debut to £2million midweek signing Michael Brown, would be delighted with a repeat to end his side's disappointing away run.
"It wasn't a smash and grab either. We played very, very well. Of course, if we can match that then great but our away form has not been great," he admitted.
A successful home run has pulled Fulham from the brink of the relegation zone to mid-table respectability but Coleman knows the improvement in their position would be accelerated if only they could start winning on their travels.
"We have seven games left and we have got to be looking at taking eight or nine points from those seven games.
"That means we have to win a couple of games and I know we are capable of it. We are capable of going to Old Trafford and pulling up a few trees but it won't be easy regardless of their defeat at Blackburn," he said.
The manager is fully aware of the spiralling pressure on his players to break their away duck.
"A few games ago it was nagging at my mind and I think it was nagging at the players' minds as well.
"We've come away from some games where we should have won and we've been frustrated. On the back of that frustration we've had a few disappointing away performances and they get even more frustrated and then there is even more pressure on them.
"Then to win home games there is more pressure on us because of our away form so it's a good job we've won the games we have at home or we'd be in trouble.
"We have got to go and get a result away," added Coleman, "but sometimes when you try too hard you don't a performance as individuals or as a team because they are trying too hard.
"We've been winning some matches away from home and have lost our composure because, with 15 minutes to go, we can't wait for the final whistle, lose our shape and have ended up drawing or losing. But we're the only ones who can put it right."
OLEMAN EXPECTS BROWN TO SHINE
Fulham manager Chris Coleman is looking to new signing Michael Brown to add traditional British values to his talented international midfield line-up.
Coleman, who will hand his £2million buy from Tottenham an instant debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes Brown will supplement Steed Malbranque, Luis Boa Morte, Claus Jensen and Papa Bouba Diop in midfield.
"We know about the flair players we have - Malbranque, Jensen, Boa Morte, people like that - but Michael will bring an extra little dimension to us that we haven't got at the minute," Coleman said.
"He's a typical British midfielder - that's the best way to describe him - he's got good feet, he's a good passer, he strikes the ball very well and he's got an eye for goal but he also doesn't mind mixing it up, getting in and winning the ball.
"We've got big Bouba whose a ball-winner. He's a big boy and he's strong on the ball but Michael is probably better in the tackle."
With Sylvain Legwinski possibly out for a fortnight after twisting his ankle in Tuesday night's 1-0 home win over Brown's former club Spurs, Coleman had no hesitation in selecting the newcomer. He is likely to be the only change to the starting line-up as Fulham seek their first away victory of the season.
Brown cannot wait for the chance to renew a rivalry with United which began when at his first professional club, Manchester City.
He recalled playing in his first Manchester derby 12 years ago at the age of 17.
"We lost 2-1 to a bit of a dodgy penalty," he said. "Eric Cantona scored it but I was just glad to be on the pitch at that age."
He knows what a tough task Fulham face and feels United's 4-3 defeat at Blackburn on Wednesday night will make the job even harder.
"United still have some fantastic players and that result will probably make them even more determined," he said.
"When you go to Manchester United with any team you know it's going to be a real tough game.
"Not many teams come away with anything but it's a fantastic place to play football.
The opportunity of regular first-team football persuaded Brown to leave White Hart Lane for Craven Cottage and he added: "I just need a few games to get back in the swing."
ulham duo back Glazer
By Alex Dunn - Created on 3 Feb 2006
Fulham's American duo Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra have backed Malcolm Glazer's takeover of Manchester United.
Glazer's arrival at the helm at Old Trafford was greeted by disdain by many in Manchester but any protests seem to have been quelled in recent months after the initial furore.
The majority of United's supporters were skeptical as to what exactly Glazer's intentions were, but McBride and Bocanegra are clearly converts after praising the work he has done at Tampa Bay - ahead of Saturday's game at Old Trafford.
''They've done a lot of great things in Tampa Bay I can tell you,'' McBride told Sky Sports News.
''Tampa Bay used to have an MLS team that used to play in a place called Sombrero Field, it was old and there weren't many fans coming in.
''They've since been able to get a new stadium, bring tonnes of fans in and provide good quality on the field.''
Bocanegra has echoed the words of his team-mate, backing the Glazer family to prove they are at United for the long haul.
''I don't know too much about how they're running things and all that stuff but the stadium in Tampa is unbelievable,'' he concluded.
''The facilities are really nice down there. I'm sure they've already had nice stuff to work with at United, so it's probably going to go well.''