Crystal Palace welcome Fulham to Selhurst Park in a festive London derby in a mid-table Premier League clash.
Victory could see either Palace or Fulham go seventh if Brighton and Brentford both lose elsewhere on Boxing Day.
Team News
Goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone is ruled out for Crystal Palace until February with a coccyx injury.
Defender, Marc Guehi is suspended but James McArthur (groin) and Nathan Ferguson (foot) both remain absent.
Joachim Andersen and Jordan Ayew will be available after safely returning from the World Cup early following Denmark and Ghana’s respective Group Stage exits.
Fulham have no major injury concerns to report following the safe recovery of Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joao Palhinha, Harry Wilson and Aleksandar Mitrovic, although Mitrovic is doubtful after he returned later than the other players.
Layvin Kurzawa (knock) though is ruled out alongside Neeskens Kebano (Achilles) and Manor Solomon (knee) who both remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last five meetings against Fulham (W3, D2).
- Fulham have won just one of their last four visits to Selhurst Park (W1, D1, L2).
- Palace have kept three clean sheets in their last four games against Fulham, only conceding in a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage in October 2020.
- Palace have kept just one clean sheet in seven matches at home this season (W4, D1, L2), which came during their last home match in late October with a 1-0 win against Southampton.
- Fulham are yet to avoid defeat in a London derby this season (L3), during which they scored three goals and conceded seven goals despite leading in two of those three games at one point.
Prediction
With both teams sat just either side of the top ten respectively, this clash for Palace and Fulham really does have that mid-table feeling about it on top of city pride at stake which should hopefully mean a good game.
Palace also enter this match in good form with just two defeats in their last seven league games – of which their latest loss came last time out at Nottingham Forest, although they can’t be disgruntled as their finishing simply was poor despite doing everything else largely well.
Fulham likewise lost their last league game but they had tougher competition in the form of Manchester United, yet can take heart from how they were able to go toe-to-toe with the Red Devils for 90 minutes but wasteful chances and poor marking cost them a point at minimum.
This clash though offers the perfect chance for both teams to reset following the break but if they can both continue to impress in their attacking play, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a solid draw between two solid-looking clubs.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Fulham
Result: Crystal Palace 0-3 Fulham
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