Two Premier League teams will clash at Selhurst Park on Saturday as Crystal Palace host Fulham, both sides looking to enter the international break with a positive result.
Match Preview
Crystal Palace have shown resilience after a rough patch of three consecutive losses to Everton, Liverpool, and Nottingham Forest. The Eagles have managed a three-match unbeaten streak, including a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup. A 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to two games.
Despite their recent recovery, Crystal Palace still sit just two points above the relegation zone in 17th place after 10 matches. The team is hoping to build on their victory over Spurs and claim consecutive London derby victories, something they haven’t done since April 2017.
However, facing Fulham will be a challenge. Palace have struggled in recent meetings with the Cottagers, failing to win any of their last five encounters, with four draws, including three consecutive stalemates.
Fulham come into the match on the back of a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brentford. Despite trailing 1-0 in stoppage time, Harry Wilson’s late brace clinched the win, helping the Cottagers climb back into the top half of the table. Marco Silva’s side is now in 9th place with 15 points from their opening 10 matches, but their away form has been less than stellar, with only one win in their last four road games.
Team News
Crystal Palace will be missing several key players due to injury. Eberechi Eze, Jefferson Lerma, Adam Wharton, Chadi Riad, and Matheus Franca are all sidelined, while Eddie Nketiah will also be unavailable due to a hamstring issue. Chris Richards and Joel Ward could be back in the matchday squad, though. Will Hughes will serve a one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation, meaning Cheick Doucoure may be called into midfield, potentially in his first league start since mid-September.
Fulham’s only injury concern is midfielder Sasa Lukic, who is recovering from a shoulder injury and is expected to return after the international break. Timothy Castagne, who had been out with a hamstring problem, is available and will compete with Kenny Tete for the starting right-back position. Harry Wilson, who scored twice off the bench against Brentford, will be hoping for a spot in the starting lineup, though Silva may choose to keep Reiss Nelson and Alex Iwobi in the wide positions after their solid performances last time out.
Crystal Palace Possible Starting Lineup:
Henderson; Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Doucoure, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Schlupp, Mateta
Fulham Possible Starting Lineup:
Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Pereira; Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Nelson; Jimenez
Recent Form
- Crystal Palace:
- Premier League: DLLLWD
- All Competitions: LLLWWD
- Fulham:
- Premier League: WWLLDW
Both teams will be keen to build momentum ahead of the international break, with Palace looking to continue their recovery and Fulham hoping to push further up the table. With recent form showing inconsistency for both sides, this match promises to be a closely contested affair.
