Pearson wants to put things right against Fulham forward Mitrovic

The 25-year-old Serbian international scored a hat-trick as Scott Parker’s side defeated Town 3-2 at Craven Cottage two months ago.

He has bagged 17 goals in the Championship this term, the top scorer in the league, while has netted 25 in 27 matches in total.

Pearson knows the £22m frontman will require extra attention as he said: “They’ve all got good players, and it’s down to me and Sonny (Bradley) to put things right after that.

“People score goals against us, we’ve just got to try and put it right and do everything we can to try and get a result.”

Although Town’s home game with Fulham is their second in a run of five matches in just 12 days, the defender is relishing the festive schedule.

He continued: “I love what I do.

“Football is demanding at times and it’s a demanding period, but I wouldn’t change it.

“That’s what we’re here for, we’re here to play football, a couple of games in a week, that’s just how it is and you get on with it.”

Manager Graeme Jones is also well aware of the threats that the Cottagers, who defeated second-placed Leeds United 2-1 on Saturday to end a run of three straight defeats, possess.

However, having now completed half of the season, and sitting fourth bottom after playing all of their opponents, Jones has a good idea of just what Town are up against.

He said: “We know how potent they can be, but we gave them a right game in the second half down at Craven Cottage last time.

“We are now sitting on 23 games, all the information, every single team, so at least now there’s no surprises for the players.

“They know what’s coming, you should be better for your experiences. Today’s (Saturday 1-0 defeat to Swansea) is a sore one, it’s a difficult one to take.

“I don’t think anyone at the football club deserves it, but football doesn’t care, it just delivers whatever comes your way.

“On the flip side of that you need to be ready to respond as well, but I certainly won’t be lying down and I don’t think my players will be lying down as it’s not in their nature.

“We’ve got a tough challenge coming up on Boxing Day, but in football you never know, what we have to do is just give everything we’ve got.”

Meanwhile, Pearson will be doing all he can once more to try and secure a second clean sheet of the season after seeing his hopes dashed by Andre Ayew's late goal on Saturday.

He added: "We can’t look back now, we’ve just got to look forward, we’ve got to rest, recover, review maybe a little bit and just get ready to give it all again on Boxing Day.

“We’re out there to fight, we're going out to battle, we’re doing our best to get the win, get the clean sheet, even a nil nil draw, as long as us defenders are doing what we can, everything we can to stop that ball going in the goal.

"This is football, football puts all sorts of thing in front of you.

"We were on the receiving end again and it’s getting us down a bit, but we’ve got to keep going, keep sticking together and keep trying to give everything we’ve got, which we have done."