On the first day of the year, Crystal Palace vs Fulham is the one that is scheduled with two London middle-table rivals who have the same number of league points and a very different form. The ninth vs. tenth encounter of the Premier League Matchweek 19 sees both teams on the same level of 26 points, and aiming to have a good start to 2026.
The hosts go into the match with increasing pressure following the hardening festive season that reveals the tiredness and damaging wounds of the squads. After losing their last three and having only five league match wins since the start of the season, Palace are in the form of a non-winner, and despite maintaining a controlled and defensively structured campaign, it has been halted.
In recent weeks, Oliver Glasner has conceded more often, and his side has not scored a clean sheet in four matches in a row in the league. Palace also registered only three goals in the same period, and this is well below the number of goals that they are supposed to have registered over the course of the season.
Fulham comes in with a recent win with a late 1-0 at West Ham, which was secured by Raul Jimenez. That outcome made the side of Marco Silva three consecutive Premier League wins, their longest in almost two years.
The Cottagers are now securely in the first half and resolute even in the absence of key players because of the international call. A victory over Nottingham Forest and a high-scoring performance at Burnley have demonstrated that Fulham is performing at a balance between control and cutting edge.
Fulham would also gain by another win, which would not only jump them over Palace in the table, but also would make them as high as seventh. The visitors, also, are in pursuit of a club record, four consecutive wins in the Premier League being the first in history.
Recent encounters are slightly tilted in favour of Palace, who won the reverse game in December and have beaten the opposition in three of the previous four encounters. Nevertheless, Fulham have recorded four consecutive clean sheets in their recent away league matches at Selhurst Park, which creates a twist in this match.
The news about the team will be decisive, as Palace will be without Ismaïla Sarr due to AFCON, as well as a number of injured first-team players. Glasner has publicly noted the necessity of January reinforcement to address the effect of absences on an overloaded schedule.
Fulham also falls under the impact of AFCON, losing Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, but Silva has turned to the depth of his squad and the team’s experience. Raul Jimenez is the key figure in their attacking threat, with the assistance of the creative options in the midfield.
Crystal Palace vs Fulham is important as it marks the turning point of two teams whose ambitions are stiffer than merely meeting the criteria of the mid-table. At a time when form, fitness, and depth are being questioned, the result may define the course of both clubs towards the second half of the season.
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