EPL: Fulham's Top-Six Hopes Suffer Setback with Home Loss to Palace

Crystal Palace stunned Fulham with a 2-0 victory at Craven Cottage, moving further clear of the relegation zone and dealing a blow to the hosts' Champions League aspirations.

Crystal Palace continued their impressive run of form on the road, securing a 2-0 victory over Fulishing at Craven Cottage to register four consecutive away wins in the Premier League for the first time in their history. The win was sealed courtesy of Joachim Andersen's own goal in the first half and Daniel Munoz's strike in the second, as Oliver Glasner's side maintained their momentum.

From the outset, Palace made their intentions clear, with Jean-Philippe Mateta finding the side-netting within three minutes. Bernd Leno, the Fulham goalkeeper, was then called upon to make two crucial saves from Eberechi Eze, first from a long-range shot and then from a free-kick. Palace's relentless pressure eventually paid off just before halftime, as Will Hughes' corner was inadvertently headed into the net by Andersen, putting the visitors ahead.

The match could have taken a different turn had referee Robert Jones awarded Fulham a penalty after Raul Jimenez went down under a challenge from Maxence Lacroardo. However, the referee waved away the appeals, and seconds later, Mateta had the ball in the net at the other end, only for the goal to be ruled out for a narrow offside decision. Leno produced a spectacular reflex save to deny Lacroardo's header from a corner, but he was unable to prevent Munoz from doubling Palace's advantage in the 66th minute.

Munoz's goal was a testament to Palace's clinical counter-attacking play. Mateta skipped past two Fulham players before releasing the Colombian wing-back, who beat Calvin Bassey inside the box and rifled a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle. The victory propelled Palace to 13th place in the table, six points behind Fulham, who missed the opportunity to push further up the table and into European contention, instead remaining ninth with 39 points.

Crystal Palace have won four consecutive away games in the top-flight for the first time ever 👏#FULCRY pic.twitter.com/oMOUcsVp56

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2025

Oliver Glasner celebrated a milestone week in charge of Crystal Palace by guiding his team to a historic derby win over Fulham. The victory marked a significant achievement for Glasner, who completed one year at the helm of Palace, and helped his side maintain their push for a top-half finish in the Premier League.

The win over Fulham was Palace's fourth consecutive away victory, with each of those wins coming by a 2-0 scoreline. This achievement set a new club record, highlighting the team's impressive form on the road. Palace have now won six and drawn four of their 13 away games this season, but their home form remains a concern, with only two wins at Selhurst Park.

Eberechi Eze, who returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the defeat to Brentford last month, was Palace's most potent threat in the first half. Jean-Philippe Mateta, who had scored in each of Palace's previous three away wins, continued to influence the game, although he had a goal ruled out by VAR for offside. Mateta's efforts ultimately paid off, as he played a crucial role in the build-up to Daniel Munoz's goal, which sealed the victory for Palace.

Glasner's tenure at Palace got off to a tough start, with the team winning just one of their first 11 league games. However, results have improved significantly since then, and the win over Fulham marks another milestone in the team's push for back-to-back top-half finishes in the Premier League. With Glasner at the helm, Palace are now well-placed to achieve their goals, and the Austrian's leadership has been instrumental in the team's resurgence.

A victory over Crystal Palace would have propelled Fulham to within one point of sixth-placed Bournemouth, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wolves. However, Marco Silva's side failed to capitalize on the opportunity, despite entering the contest with momentum from impressive wins over Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

Fulham's performance against Palace was underwhelming, with the team struggling to replicate the levels of play that had earned them recent successes. The Cottagers failed to register a single shot on target throughout the game, despite attempting 10 shots. Adama Traore and Alex Iwobi, who had been instrumental in Fulham's previous victories, were largely ineffective on the wings, while an injury to Emile Smith Rowe added to Silva's concerns.

With a potential fifth-place finish in the Premier League potentially securing a spot in next season's Champions League, Fulham cannot afford to deliver subpar performances like the one against Palace. Silva's team will aim to bounce back quickly when they face Wolves on Tuesday, while Crystal Palace will look to build on their win when they take on Aston Villa on the same day.