Crystal Palace dominated Fulham with a decisive 2-0 victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday, marking their return to form and ending their six-game winless run against their London rivals.
The match, filled with anticipation and competitive spirit, showcased Palace's prowess on the road as they secured their fourth consecutive away win in the Premier League—a first for the club. Oliver Glasner's side truly controlled the game from the outset, registering two goals, one from the opponent's defender and another through swift counter-attacking play.
Eberechi Eze opened the attack early on, showing promise; yet it was former Fulham player Joachim Andersen whose unfortunate misstep broke the deadlock. The incident unfolded at the 37th minute when Andersen, attempting to defend against a corner, inadvertently turned the ball past his goalkeeper. This own goal reflected not only the pressure Palace exerted but also Fulham's struggles to cope with their opposition.
Following the goal, Palace continued to assert their dominance, coming close to doubling their lead shortly after the half-time interval. A goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta was ruled out after VAR reviewed the play and determined he was offside. While this moment could have dampened spirits, Palace remained unfazed and once again stepped up their game.
Just 21 minutes later, they found the back of the net for the second time. Daniel Munoz finished off what was described as “a scintillate counter-attack” led by Mateta. The full-back, sprinting down the right flank, expertly converted, sealing Fulham's fate and solidifying the visitors' control over the match.
For Fulham, the defeat was disappointing, as they failed to register a single shot on target, marking the first time they’ve done so at home since May 2021. Coach Marco Silva’s side had come off strong performances recently but now faced questions about their inconsistency. Silva expressed his disappointment, highlighting a lack of intensity and the need for his players to rise to occasions like this.
Despite having equal shots on goal with Palace (10 each), Fulham’s expected goals (xG) tally of merely 0.23 starkly contrasts with Palace’s 1.22, demonstrating their struggles to find clinical finishers. Silva noted, "We fell below the required level," acknowledging the urgent need for improvement.
Crystal Palace’s head coach, Glasner, praised his players, stating, "Credit to the players. We know when we are disciplined, it is tough to play against us." This sentiment echoed the team's performance—their defensive organization combined with effective attacking transitions played out seamlessly throughout the match.
With this win, Palace now sits comfortably 16 points clear of the bottom three, moving up to 13th place, demonstrating their determination to secure safety and perhaps pursue higher ambitions as the season progresses. Conversely, Fulham, now sitting ninth, will need to quickly regroup and redirect their efforts toward European qualification ambitions.
The match encapsulated the competitive nature of the Premier League, especially with London derbies often providing unexpected twists—this time, it was Crystal Palace who emerged victorious, ending recent history with their neighbors.
Moving forward, both teams will face the challenge of maintaining consistency. For Palace, the focus is on sustaining this winning momentum, particularly on the road. For Fulham, the task is to shake off this setback and re-establish their identity and potency going forward.