Fulham vs Crystal Palace on Saturday is a London derby that promises lots of high-quality action, with little separating two teams hoping to break into the top half of the Premier League table as the 2023/24 season approaches its climax.
Looking forward to that fixture, here is a preview as well as a Fulham vs Crystal Palace prediction of just how the game might pan out.
Quick stats
- Fulham have just one victory from their previous five games — a 2-0 defeat of West Ham United on the road — but have lost their most recent home games (against Newcastle United and Liverpool).
- Fulham's last two league wins have come against other teams from the capital — the aforementioned triumph over West Ham, and a 3-0 thumping of Tottenham Hotspur when the latter came around.
- Palace have recorded successive victories in their last three league games; only reigning champions and leaders Manchester City have strung together a longer run of wins (4) across the last five matchdays.
- Palace have won just four away games in the league this season, the most recent — and, perhaps, most famous — coming at Anfield a fortnight ago.
Match preview
Fulham went into last weekend's home game against Liverpool full of confidence, buoyed by a first win in four games and hoping to worsen the plight of opponents that had suffered serious blows to their own lofty ambitions of late.
It was the Cottagers, however, who were dealt a setback in their bid to rise up the log, with Liverpool running out 3-1 victors.
Against Palace, Marco Silva's charges would have the chance to respond to that defeat and set things right with their fans.
Against Palace, Marco Silva's charges would have the chance to respond to that defeat and set things right with their fans.
They are currently 12th and would want to put a bit of daylight between themselves and Saturday's visitors, who are just three points behind in 13th place.
Palace have won three games on the bounce — a feat not attained since April 2023, when Roy Hodgson was at the helm — and would now look to stretch that sequence to four; you would have to go back to 2020, either side of the COVID-induced break, for the last time that happened.
Fulham's back-line did not have the easiest of days against Liverpool last weekend, conceding thrice, and Nigerian Calvin Bassey's experience mirrored the collective’s.
He will likely be in for another busy outing when Palace make the short trip across town, given the form of sensational young forwards Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise — both of Nigerian extraction, by the way — and red-hot striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Bassey, a Fulham regular thus far this season, will have to be on top of his game if he is to help his team put up a successful resistance.
At the other end of the pitch, his compatriot, Alex Iwobi, would hope to contribute just as meaningfully.
He, too, did not enjoy smooth sailing versus Liverpool, but, then again, he probably did not expect to.
Against a Palace defence that is not the most formidable, however, there should be more opportunities to exploit for the benefit of his fellow attackers, or to add to his six goals for the season.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace H2H (Last 10 matches)
September 2023: Palace 0-0 Fulham
May 2023: Fulham 2-2 Palace
December 2022: Palace 0-3 Fulham
February 2021: Palace 0-0 Fulham
October 2020: Fulham 1-2 Palace
February 2019: Palace 2-0 Fulham
August 2018: Fulham 0-2 Palace
May 2014: Fulham 2-2 Palace
October 2013: Palace 1-4 Fulham
January 2005: Fulham 3-1 Palace
Fulham vs Crystal Palace prediction
The head-to-head numbers between the two teams are split pretty evenly, and the fact that they are stacked closely on top of each other on the league table suggests a draw — the outcome of three of their last four competitive meetings, in fact — is the likeliest result.
But Palace have not lost at Craven Cottage in nearly two decades, and, considering just how well they are currently playing, expect them to claim all spoils on this visit, courtesy of a narrow win.
Predicted lineups
Fulham: Leno; Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Lukic; Iwobi, Pereira, Decordova-Reid; Muniz
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Richards, Andersen, Clyne; Mitchell, Hughes, Wharton, Munoz; Eze, Olise; Mateta
