Slavisa Jokanovic, the under-pressure Fulham head coach, has accused his players of failing to show enough effort and playing “like kids” in a run of five consecutive defeats that has left them at the foot of the Premier League table.

In a scathing attack on his squad, Jokanovic revealed he had this week told his players that he is a “fantastic coach” whose pre-match instructions are being ignored on the pitch.

Jokanovic also warned Fulham’s summer signings that they must no longer allow their performances to be affected by their “adaptation” to their new club, adding that he will not be afraid to “clean” the dressing room of those who will not fight for the shirt.

Fulham travel to Liverpool this weekend attempting to improve on Monday’s lifeless defeat by Huddersfield Town, when they equalled a Premier League record by conceding 29 goals in their opening 11 games.

“To be honest, after the Huddersfield game, I told them: ‘Listen, I am a fantastic coach,’” said Jokanovic. “I did a fantastic job with my staff and the analysts because everything we expected, we found it during the game.”