Premier League: Fulham and Palace are closer than you think…

Fulham vs Crystal Palace

15^th plays fifth in the Premier League on Sunday as Marco Silva’s Fulham host Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. 

Ten places separate the two teams but the gap is only six points, and the two clubs could actually have been level had their midweek fortunes gone the other way. In a full programme of top flight football Fulham were hoping to follow up two league wins with a positive result against Manchester City, but amazingly they came out on the wrong side of a nine goal thriller. Meanwhile the Eagles shrugged off back-to-back defeats with a ‘smash and grab’ 1-0 win away to struggling Burnley. 

So while half a division separates the two teams, Premier League: Fulham vs Crystal Palace is a fascinating prospect and a hard one to call. 

 

Talking Points

Only the best win at the Cottage 

In one of the most entertaining matches of the Premier League season so far, Fulham played a full part in their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City on a mad night at Craven Cottage on Tuesday. Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues were quite sensational as they raced into a 5-1 lead but then, as the Mancunians threatened to rack up a record tally, the Cottagers roared back to 5-4. There were still 12 minutes too play and ten added on, and only a desperate goal-line clearance from Josko Gvardiol stopped Josh King grabbing a sensational injury time leveller. Fulham’s heart, dynamism, in the face of adversity, and no little skill was hugely impressive in the second half and got the home fans on their feet, as the billionaires of the North hung on grimly.     

Fulham have a shocker of a record against Manchester City, losing 19 games in a row to the Sky Blues so it was no surprise that they lost, I suppose; but City are only the second team to win at the Cottage this season, after Arsenal. So, while the top two left West London with maximum points, Sunderland, Wolves, Brentford and Leeds have all departed empty handed, while Manchester United sneaked a draw.   

And Silva’s men can win away as well as they showed during the Cottagers win against Tottenham Hotspur. They will go on the front foot against Palace; with the experienced Raul Jimenez leading the line and Emile Smith–Rowe and Harry Wilson buzzing around; and look out for Samuel Chukwueze who scored twice in quick succession to give City the jitters. 

The Fulham vs Crystal Palace betting odds give the hosts an edge but they face a team which is devilishly hard to beat when they are on their game.  

 

Busy Palace are adapting well

After winning the FA Cup and following that up with a Community Shield triumph Crystal Palace are living among the elite in English football and they are enjoying a first foray into Europe. Juggling Europa Conference League football with the Premier League takes a lot of shuffling of the pack and Glasner has been critical of the club’s transfer policy. Losing Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in successive summer windows is testament to the club’s ability to develop world class players. And, sitting fifth in the Premier League and mid table in the Conference the current crop is holding up well. 

Understandably the Eagles looked leggy during their win over Burnley, registering only four shots on goal and riding their luck as the Clarets threatened throughout the second period. But Palace delivered the points and that will give them renewed confidence. Glasner needs to rotate his squad and, with Ismaila Sarr out injured, Eddie Nketiah is pushing for a start against Fulham, having climbed off the bench at Turf Moor.            

 

History 

The head to head Fulham vs Crystal Palace results have been tightly contested. Fulham have won five to Crystal Palace’s six and there have been seven draws over the past 18 games in all competitions. The Eagles have had a fair amount of success at Craven Cottage recently, winning four and drawing four of their last ten visits. Last season Palace won twice on this ground, 2-0 in the league in February and then 3-0 in the FA Cup in March, on their way to winning the trophy, beating Manchester City in the final.     

After a sticky period the Cottagers have hit a purple patch, winning three, drawing two and losing one of the last six games, while the Eagles have won three, drawn one and lost two.      

 

Betting Tip

With all three results in play Fulham are the marginal favourites at SBOTOP odds of 2.55, while Palace can be backed at 2.80. Both teams have been in decent form and the Eagles have had plenty of success in West London, so I can see another close game and, for an alternative bet, a 1-1 draw is the most likely score-line, priced at 6.00. 

   

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