Scott Parker urged his Fulham squad to end the season "the right way" as they prepare to face Manchester United.
The Cottagers' most recent stint in the Premier League has lasted just one season and snce their relegation was confirmed last Monday they have lost 3-1 at Southampton,
However, the manager said he wanted his side to show their capabilities in Tuesday's match at Old Trafford.
Parker said: "I think, for me, the most important thing is finishing this season and focusing on that really.
"What's to be next year is a few months away, and what's vitally important for me and for the players – and I need the players to understand that – (is that) you're in the biggest league and the best league and the spotlight's constantly on them. We need to finish this season the right way, really.
"So we've got a very tough game tomorrow against the second best team in this division. It's already a difficult game for us, of course it is, so that's the main focus from me certainly at this point."
Parker added: "(It has been) a big disappointment of course this year, we want to stay in this league, but there's still a job to do.
"That's be professional and put some pride in our performance and I need to make sure that the squad understand that as well. That's the big challenge for me – and I don't really want to look past that."
United will finally be able to play in front of a crowd in their final Premier League home game of the season, and are preparing for 10,000 spectators.
"I think firstly all of us are ecstatic with fans entering the stadium," Parker said.
"Football stadiums have become very sterile a year ago, maybe more than that, and I think we've all missed the atmosphere and what that brings in stadiums.
"We briefly experienced it with, I think, only 2,000 in the Liverpool game and that was incredible.
"I think it's 10,000 fans tomorrow, albeit they won't be screaming for us, hopefully the following one we'll have them doing that for us."
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