Fulham is set to host Crystal Palace in a Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage. Both teams are currently without points in the league standings, with Fulham in 16th position and Crystal Palace in 18th.
Fulham’s manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, has confirmed that Tom Cairney is the only player unavailable for the upcoming match. While new signings Hugo Larsson, Manuel Angel, and David Affengruber have joined the squad, Arbeloa does not anticipate any of them starting, though they might be included in the matchday squad. Arbeloa emphasized the need for patience with the new players as they adapt to the team’s system. The manager also expressed satisfaction with Kenny Tete remaining at the club after his proposed move did not materialize, highlighting his experience and familiarity with the club.
Team Form and Key Statistics
Fulham has a challenging record against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, having secured only two wins in their last 13 encounters, both of which occurred at Selhurst Park in the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, has a strong away record at Craven Cottage, remaining unbeaten in their last seven visits (W4 D3) since losing their first away Premier League game there in 2004-05.
Fulham will be aiming to avoid a third consecutive defeat in Premier League London derbies, a situation they last faced in April 2023. They previously lost 3-0 to Arsenal in May and 3-2 at home to Chelsea on matchday one of the current season. Crystal Palace has shown strong performance in away London derbies, winning six of their last 10 such matches (D3 L1), matching their win tally from the previous 44 away London derbies (D15 L23).
This season, Fulham has experienced losses to Chelsea (3-2) and Sunderland (1-0). The club has only lost their first three top-flight games in two previous seasons, 1951-52 and 2020-21, both of which ended in relegation.
Player Milestones and Managerial Pressure
Crystal Palace is looking to prevent losing their opening three Premier League matches of a campaign for the first time since 2017-18, following their recent defeat to Manchester City. The team has also conceded at least two goals in each of their last eight Premier League matches, and they have never done so in nine consecutive league games in their history.
Individually, Alex Iwobi of Fulham could reach his 100th Premier League appearance for the club in this fixture. Having already played 123 times for Everton and 100 times for Arsenal, he would become the fifth player to achieve 100 or more appearances for three different clubs in the competition. Other players who have achieved this milestone include Gary Speed (Leeds, Newcastle, Bolton), Rory Delap (Derby, Southampton, Stoke), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton), and James Milner (Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool).
Fulham’s Gonzalo García has made 29 off-ball runs behind opponent defenses in the Premier League this season, a figure surpassed only by Bryan Mbeumo (39) and Kai Havertz (31). For Crystal Palace, manager Pierre Sage has lost both of his initial two Premier League games in charge, and he has not previously lost three consecutive league matches in his managerial career.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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