With a couple of key players missing for this clash, few knew what to expect of Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage, but they were keen to prove in the early stages that it wouldn’t affect them greatly.
Jean-Philippe Mateta stealing a march in the inside left channel before stinging the palms of Bernd Leno was an early warning sign that Palace were still going to be dangerous.
It was one Fulham failed to heed, though, and it was Eddie Nketiah, standing in for the injured Ismaïla Sarr, who punished the hosts when he hammered home from the edge of the area after Adam Wharton picked him out.
Fulham’s response was fairly muted aside from an Emile Smith-Rowe strike, which needed tipping over by Dean Henderson.
The Palace stopper was powerless to deny Harry Wilson shortly before half-time, though, as his outside-of-the-foot effort after some neat link-up play with Raul Jimenez nestled in the far corner.
The first half was a little tame at times, but the second half began with great intensity from both sides, as Fulham’s Kenny Tete arrowed a left-footed effort over the bar within minutes of the restart before Mateta could only drag a left-footed effort of his own wide of the post at the other end.
The Cottagers produced a stirring comeback in midweek but ultimately fell just short, and the comeback kings thought they’d completed one today.
Alex Iwobi’s initial header from Samuel Chukwueze’s wicked delivery cannoned back off the post, and Smith-Rowe turned home the rebound, but unfortunately for him, Chukwueze had strayed offside in the build-up.
That incident was enough to see both managers go to their respective benches, with Fulham electing for more attacking subs and Palace deciding to make more defensive changes.
Simply throwing a raft of attackers onto the pitch seemed to disrupt Fulham’s momentum and almost certainly didn’t have the positive impact Marco Silva would’ve hoped for.
Two big chances fell Palace’s way in the final five minutes, and when they came and went, they must’ve been wondering what they needed to do.
Step forward, captain Marc Guehi, who broke clear at the near post to head home Yeremy Pino’s corner and continue a streak which has now seen each of the last four H2Hs won by the away side on the day.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
