Crystal Palace and Fulham open 2026 with a London derby at Selhurst Park, with both sides under pressure for different reasons. Fulham arrive in strong Premier League form and with defensive stability,
while Crystal Palace are dealing with injuries and a poor run, despite being viewed as favourites for the match.
Palace have not won a league game since beating Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage on 7 December, a result that left Oliver Glasner’s team 11th in the table. Since then, Crystal Palace have exited the EFL Cup against Arsenal and missed out on a top-eight place in the Conference League, adding to the importance of this fixture.
Recent history between these clubs at Selhurst Park offers Fulham some encouragement. Crystal Palace have not scored, or won, in any of their last four Premier League home games against Fulham, recording two draws and two defeats since a 2-0 home win in February 2019. In that period, the away side is unbeaten across nine league meetings between the teams, with five wins and four draws.
Fulham’s overall New Year’s Day record is less positive, with four defeats in their last six league fixtures played on 1 January, alongside two wins. The club’s most recent match on this date came in the Championship, a 2-1 home loss to Reading in 2020. However, Marco Silva has an impressive away record as a manager against Crystal Palace, with two wins and three draws in five Premier League trips, and clean sheets in every one of those games.
Fulham’s visit to South London marks the start of a demanding opening to 2026. After facing Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day, Fulham host Liverpool and Chelsea in successive league matches, before an FA Cup third round home tie against Middlesbrough on 10 January. Sander Berge believes this run offers a major test, but also a chance to build momentum.
Marco Silva’s team lost 2-1 at home to Palace earlier in December, their third defeat to the Eagles in 2025, with all three coming at Craven Cottage across two Premier League fixtures and one FA Cup tie. Since that setback, Fulham have put together three straight league victories and kept clean sheets in their last two matches, giving the squad confidence heading back into this matchup.
"We’ve had some tough games against Palace," Berge told the club website. "We won there last time, but in the meantime, we lost three at home. Tight, tight games, always special games against them, we know each other really well now. When you go into the game, you know the pattern of it, you know each team’s strengths and weaknesses. But we’re ready, we’re excited to get another chance to beat them. Obviously, a very tough and busy schedule to start the New Year with, but nothing better than three good challenges and an FA Cup tie, so we’re excited. "
Starting 2026 in South London. pic.twitter.com/GVvoHxRGiYFulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) December 30, 2025
Crystal Palace vs Fulham injuries, squad news and manager comments
Crystal Palace’s preparations have been affected by injuries to Chris Richards and Eddie Nketiah, both ruled out of the clash with Fulham. Oliver Glasner confirmed Richards is also a doubt for the upcoming league meeting with Newcastle United because of a foot issue, while Nketiah’s recovery timeline remains uncertain, increasing selection problems in attack.
"Chris is not back, and for Newcastle [United on Sunday], it will be quite tight. His foot is too swollen, so he can’t wear a boot right now – it’s too painful," said Glasner. "Eddie is out for this game, so let’s see for the next game. We don’t know exactly how long it will take [to recover] – we’ll have to take it game by game. It’s a little bit his muscle, but we don’t know right now how serious it is. Of course, he’s had a few issues this year, and that’s why we are quite cautious. "
Last time out against Fulham pic.twitter.com/yOli96phzwCrystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 30, 2025
Crystal Palace vs Fulham players to watch and prediction
Jean-Philippe Mateta leads Palace’s Premier League scoring chart this season, with seven goals from 18 appearances. However, the forward has gone seven matches in all competitions without a goal, since converting a penalty against Manchester United on 30 November, and will aim to end that sequence against Fulham’s improving defence.
Harry Wilson has been key to Fulham’s recent attacking threat. The winger has contributed to seven goals in the last six league games, with three goals and four assists. Across the full Premier League season, Wilson has nine goal involvements – five goals and four assists – leaving Wilson only one short of matching the best top-flight return of Wilson’s career, achieved in 2023-24 with 10.
Prediction models still lean towards a home victory. The matchup is labelled "CRYSTAL PALACE WIN" in the pre-game prediction section, although both historical data and recent form hint at a closer contest. Palace’s inability to break down Fulham at Selhurst Park in recent years suggests a demanding challenge for Glasner’s team, even as bookmakers favour the hosts.
Crystal Palace vs Fulham Opta win probability
The Opta projection reflects Crystal Palace’s slight edge, but also recognises Fulham’s threat and the possibility of a draw. Palace are given just over a 50 per cent chance of success, while Fulham’s probability remains below a quarter, reinforcing their status as underdogs despite strong recent results.
| Outcome | Opta win probability |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | 50.5% |
| Draw | 25.1% |
| Fulham | 24.4% |
The meeting at Selhurst Park brings together a Palace side searching for a first league win since 7 December and a Fulham team buoyed by three consecutive victories. With Fulham chasing another strong defensive display and Palace dealing with absences for Chris Richards and Eddie Nketiah, the derby shapes as a tight contest despite the home side’s statistical advantage.
