BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Saturday's match (15:00 BST), the 100th meeting between Fulham and Hull City.

Fulham's collapse at Ipswich Town, where they led until the 88th minute but lost 2-1, means the Cottagers remain without a league victory under new boss Alvaro Arbeloa. Scrutiny of the Spaniard will continue to grow unless he wins this game, the second of three consecutive matches against newly promoted opposition.

Arbeloa says his side need to change their mentality after scoring, complaining that at Portman Road, and to some extent against Manchester United a week earlier, the Londoners became "very direct" after going in front, surrendering possession cheaply and inviting pressure.

Only Bournemouth have dropped more points from winning positions in the current campaign than Fulham, who have let eight points slip, just three fewer than across the whole of last season. The Whites are also conceding late goals at an alarming rate, having shipped a league-high five from the 75th minute onwards.

Arbeloa's side have probably played better than their results suggest, but performances alone will not ease the pressure on the former Real Madrid head coach. Fulham are in danger of failing to win any of their opening seven top-flight games for the first time since 1951, when they went on to finish bottom.

Hull City claimed their first Premier League win by beating Fulham in 2008 and have a good record in this fixture, losing just one of six meetings with the Cottagers in the competition.

The Tigers marked their return to the top flight by winning their opening two league games this season and keeping clean sheets in their first three matches. However, their defence has looked more vulnerable since then, conceding twice in each of their past three outings. The absence of record signing Nobel Mendy, who is ruled out with a groin injury, could further weaken their backline.

Hull nevertheless head to west London in good spirits after coming from 2-1 down to earn a point against Everton last weekend, courtesy of an equaliser from substitute Mohamed Belloumi.

The newly promoted side spent £146m this summer on 18 signings in an attempt to bridge the gulf in quality, but Algeria international Belloumi, now in his third season at the club, has coped impressively with the step up.

The 24-year-old already has three goals and two assists, and is averaging a Premier League goal involvement every 85 minutes. That is the best rate by any Hull player to have made at least five appearances in the competition.