Fulham welcome Crystal Palace to Craven Cottage on Saturday, September 5, 2026, for Matchweek 3 of the Premier League season. Kickoff is scheduled for 15:00 BST.
Neither London club has collected a league point yet. Álvaro Arbeloa's Fulham followed a competitive 3-2 defeat to Chelsea with a 1-0 loss at Sunderland, while Pierre Sage's Palace have been beaten 2-0 by Everton and 4-1 by Manchester City.
The early table should not be overstated after only two matches, but both teams need improvement. Fulham's main issue has been converting possession into enough clear chances, while Palace have conceded six goals and enter the derby without several important players.
Recent head-to-head history also adds intrigue: Palace have been particularly difficult for Fulham to beat at Craven Cottage.
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Head-to-Head Summary
The last 10 competitive meetings have been closely contested:
Fulham wins: 2
Crystal Palace wins: 3
Draws: 5
Fulham goals: 10
Crystal Palace goals: 11
Five draws from 10 matches immediately show why this fixture should not be treated as one with a clear historical favorite. Palace do hold the recent advantage. They beat Fulham twice in the league and once in the FA Cup during 2025 before the clubs drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park in January 2026.
Their record at Craven Cottage is even more notable. Palace are unbeaten in their last eight competitive visits to Fulham, with the Cottagers' most recent home victory in this matchup coming in January 2005.
Last 10 Meetings
The most recent competitive encounters are:
January 1, 2026 – Premier League: Crystal Palace 1-1 Fulham
December 7, 2025 – Premier League: Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace
March 29, 2025 – FA Cup: Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
February 22, 2025 – Premier League: Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace
November 9, 2024 – Premier League: Crystal Palace 0-2 Fulham
April 27, 2024 – Premier League: Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace
September 23, 2023 – Premier League: Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham
May 20, 2023 – Premier League: Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace
December 26, 2022 – Premier League: Crystal Palace 0-3 Fulham
February 28, 2021 – Premier League: Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham
Only 21 goals have been scored across those 10 games, and six produced two goals or fewer. That pattern fits a rivalry in which neither side has consistently dominated. Palace's recent wins give them confidence, but five draws suggest another tight contest is entirely realistic.
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Fulham Current Form
Fulham's last five competitive matches are:
Sunderland 1-0 Fulham
Fulham 3-0 AFC Wimbledon
Fulham 2-3 Chelsea
Fulham 2-0 Newcastle United
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Fulham
That gives Fulham two wins, one draw and two defeats, with eight goals scored and five conceded. The 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Wimbledon showed that Arbeloa's team can create and finish chances, but their Premier League performances have been less efficient.
Against Chelsea, Fulham scored twice and remained competitive after falling behind early. The defeat at Sunderland was more concerning: they had more possession but failed to register a shot on target. That makes attacking efficiency more important than simply controlling the ball against Palace.
Crystal Palace Current Form
Palace's last five competitive results are:
Crystal Palace 1-4 Manchester City
Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 1-0 Rayo Vallecano
Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal
Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace
Palace have therefore recorded one win, one draw and three defeats, scoring five goals and conceding 10. The sample crosses two managerial eras. The final three games of last season came under Oliver Glasner, including Palace's Conference League final victory over Rayo Vallecano. Only the defeats to Everton and Manchester City belong to Sage's tenure.
That distinction matters. Palace are adapting to a new manager and a changed squad, so their current identity is still developing. The immediate problem is straightforward: they have scored once and conceded six times in two league matches.
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Fulham Team News and Injuries
Fulham enter the game with encouraging availability. Tom Cairney is the only player confirmed unavailable, with Arbeloa otherwise reporting a fit squad.
Deadline-day arrivals Hugo Larsson, Manuel Ángel and David Affengruber are available for consideration, although Arbeloa has indicated that the trio are still learning his system and are unlikely to be rushed into the starting XI.
That gives Fulham greater continuity than Palace for this particular match. Gonzalo García should remain an important part of the attack after scoring against Chelsea and AFC Wimbledon, while Joshua King also opened his league account in the Chelsea game.
Crystal Palace Team News and Injuries
Palace have more significant availability concerns. Ismaïla Sarr is ruled out, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Chadi Riad remain unavailable through injury.
Mateta's absence removes Palace's established central goalscorer, while Sarr takes away pace and direct running from the attacking line. Riad's injury reduces Sage's options in a defence already reshaped during the summer.
Palace were active late in the transfer window, adding players including Quinten Timber, Darío Osorio and Ben Chilwell, but the newest arrivals have had limited time to integrate. Jørgen Strand Larsen is therefore likely to carry considerable responsibility in attack.
Tactical Match Analysis
Fulham's early performances suggest Arbeloa wants his side to be comfortable in possession, but Saturday's key question is what they do with that possession.
They had 57% of the ball at Sunderland yet failed to produce a shot on target. Palace may be willing to let Fulham circulate the ball in less dangerous areas before trying to attack quickly after turnovers.
Gonzalo García's movement around the penalty area and Joshua King's ability to operate between the lines could be important if Palace defend with their familiar back-three structure.
Fulham should also look to use their full-backs. Antonee Robinson can provide width and forward running from the left, forcing Palace's wing-backs to defend deeper. For Palace, transitions may offer the clearest attacking route.
Adam Wharton's passing can help turn defensive recoveries into quick attacks, while Yeremy Pino provides creativity around Strand Larsen. Without Sarr and Mateta, however, Palace lose two of their most proven attacking weapons.
Sage must also find a better defensive balance. City repeatedly found space once they played through Palace's first pressure, and Fulham will try to create similar openings even if they lack City's individual quality. This could therefore become a game of patience rather than sustained end-to-end attacking.
Key Players to Watch
1. Gonzalo García
García scored against Chelsea and again in the Carabao Cup. Fulham need him to turn possession into goals, particularly after drawing a blank at Sunderland.
2. Joshua King
King has operated effectively behind and around the striker. His movement between midfield and attack can make Palace's defensive assignments more difficult.
3. Adam Wharton
Wharton remains central to Palace's ability to move the ball through midfield. With several attacking players missing, his progressive passing becomes even more important.
4. Jørgen Strand Larsen
Mateta's absence increases the responsibility on Strand Larsen. Palace need him to provide a physical outlet, occupy Fulham's centre-backs and make limited chances count.
What the Numbers Tell Us
The most useful numbers point toward a close match:
Five of the last 10 competitive meetings have ended in draws.
Palace narrowly led that sequence with three wins to Fulham's two.
Only 21 goals have been scored across those 10 matches.
Palace are unbeaten in their last eight competitive visits to Craven Cottage.
Both teams have zero points from two Premier League matches this season.
Fulham have conceded four league goals; Palace have conceded six.
Fulham have already recorded a 3-0 competitive victory this season, while Palace are still looking for their first win under Sage.
The H2H favors Palace slightly, but current availability and home advantage work in Fulham's favor.
Who Has the Advantage?
There is no strong statistical favorite, although Fulham have a slight situational advantage. Playing at Craven Cottage with an almost fully available squad should help Arbeloa's side, particularly against a Palace team missing Sarr, Mateta and Riad.
Palace's recent record in this fixture prevents a stronger conclusion. They have not lost at Craven Cottage in more than two decades and have taken three wins and five draws from the last 10 competitive H2Hs overall.
A draw is a particularly realistic outcome. Half of the last 10 meetings finished level, and neither team has yet shown enough in the Premier League this season to justify describing them as a clear favorite.
Fulham's healthier squad and home setting give them the narrowest edge, but the evidence points more strongly toward a competitive match than decisive superiority for either side.
Conclusion
Fulham vs Crystal Palace arrives early in the season, but both clubs already have reasons to value a positive result.
Fulham have shown attacking promise against Chelsea and Wimbledon but must improve after failing to register a shot on target at Sunderland. Palace are dealing with a more difficult injury situation and have conceded six goals in their opening two league games under Pierre Sage.
History offers the visitors encouragement. Palace are unbeaten in their last eight competitive trips to Craven Cottage, while five of the last 10 meetings between the clubs have ended level.
Fulham's home advantage and stronger availability give them a slight edge, but not enough to call this a one-sided matchup. Recent H2H evidence and the uncertain early-season form of both teams make another draw a credible outcome.