Crystal Palace vs Fulham – Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Odds, Prediction | EPL 22/23 

Man United 13 Palace Former player Wilfried Zaha returns with a brace to haunt United

Crystal Palace and Fulham face off on Boxing Day in the Premier League, with both sides level on 19 points and desperate to get back to winning ways. 

Venue: Selhurst Park (London)

Key Statistics

Crystal Palace have won their last three league games at home.

They have won 13 of their 19 points this season at home.

Palace have kept three clean sheets in their last ten games.

Thirteen of Fulham’s 15 PL games this season have contained at least three goals, the highest percentage in the division.

Fulham are winless in their last three league games (D1, L2).

The Cottagers have kept just one clean sheet away from home this season in the league.

Head to head

Crystal Palace have beaten Fulham in three of their last five meetings (D2), scoring at least two goals on four occasions. 

In the Premier League, both sides have met eight times, with Palace winning four times while Fulham have two wins (D2).

Latest performances in all competitions

Crystal Palace: W-L-D-D-L

Fulham: D-L-L-D-W

Crystal Palace 

Crystal Palace will look to make it four wins in four league games at home when they host fellow Londoners Fulham.

Patrick Vieira’s side went into the World Cup break after a disappointing defeat to Nottingham Forest. The result kept them in eleventh position, six points ahead of the relegation zone.

Vieira will demand more from his boys and be confident of getting a result, having worked with his squad for the last few weeks. The former Arsenal captain had only two of his players on duty in the Qatar World Cup. 

The rest of the squad jetted to Turkey for a warm-weather training camp, which forward Wilfried Zaha described as “hard work”. The Ivorian admits Crystal Palace have rested little during the six-week break for the World Cup. However, having scored in both of his previous two clashes with the Cottagers (W2) and being unbeaten in his last eight goal-scoring appearances (W6, D2), he will fancy his chances here.

The Eagles have also played four friendlies since their last competitive action, culminating in a 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid. They now return to the home comforts of Selhurst Park, where they have won three Premier League (PL) games in a row for the first time since the back end of the 2017/18 campaign, while 13 of their 19 points this season have been picked up on their own turf.

Possible Crystal Palace starting line-up

Vicente Guaita; Nathaniel Clyne, Joel Ward, Joachim Andersen, Tyrick Mitchell; Cheick Doucouré, Jeffrey Schlupp; Jordan Ayew, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Wilfried Zaha.

Injured: Sam Johnstone, James McArthur, Nathan Ferguson 

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Marc Guehi

Fulham

Fulham make the trip across London having failed to win any of their final three matches before the international break (D1, L2), a run that saw them drop to ninth in the table to sit level on points with their hosts, having played a game more.

It was a frustrating period for the Cottagers, including two last-gasp losses to Manchester City and Manchester United. However, they prepared for their return with a 1-1 draw in a recent friendly with West Ham United. 

Manager Marco Silva admitted he “took many positives” from their first-half performance in that recent game. He will now be hoping to have a full complement of players available after Antonee Robinson, João Palhinha and Aleksandar Mitrović, who all represented their countries at the World Cup, were afforded some extra rest.

The visitors will be hopeful that Mitrovic will be able to add to his season tally of nine Premier League goals.

Possible Fulham starting line-up

Bernd Leno; Bobby Reid, Issa Diop, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; João Palhinha, Harrison Reed; Harry Wilson Andreas Pereira, Willian; Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Injured: Manor Solomon, Neeskens Kebano

Doubtful: Laying Kurzawa

Suspended: None 

Odds

Prediction

Crystal Palace 2-1 Fulham