5 months ago
It’s a unusual quirk of this fixture that nan distant broadside hasn’t mislaid for nan past 10 Premier League matches, and substitute Tom Cairney’s precocious equaliser ensured that nan streak goes on.
Only a superb prevention successful injury-time from Dean Henderson and a glaring miss from erstwhile Crystal Palace subordinate Joachim Andersen denied Fulham each 3 points aft they had fallen down to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first extremity from unfastened play since 1 November. But Oliver Glasner will still beryllium bitterly disappointed that his broadside couldn’t extremity a series of six games without a triumph successful each competitions aft moving retired of steam again successful their 31st lucifer of nan season.
At slightest Palace supporters tin console themselves pinch nan impending presence of Brennan Johnson for a nine grounds interest of £35m from Tottenham – he completed nan first portion of his aesculapian while these 2 teams were slugging retired successful southbound London. The Wales guardant will adhd immoderate overmuch needed firepower to Palace’s attack, pinch nan FA Cup winners besides believed to beryllium pursuing different striker to supply immoderate back-up for Mateta having registered their liking successful 19-year-old Sidiki Cherif from Angers.
The France striker – truthful often nan subordinate who sets nan reside for Palace – has been labouring successful caller weeks but took his extremity brilliantly. However, they couldn’t termination disconnected a spirited Fulham broadside who were 9 points down their London rivals erstwhile they were beaten astatine Craven Cottage successful early December and now find themselves trailing only connected extremity difference.
Both sides were unchanged aft experiencing a contrasting fewer weeks, pinch Fulham having recorded 3 consecutive Premier League wins since their past gathering to easiness themselves distant from immoderate relegation peril. Marco Silva insisted this week that their caller occurrence would not impact their “clear plan” for nan January window, pinch different striker intelligibly a privilege fixed that Rodrigo Muniz is not owed backmost from wounded until adjacent month.
They enjoyed immoderate threatening moments during an opening play that was strangely lacking successful strength but couldn’t make nan astir of a mates of decent chances. The in-form Harry Wilson forced Henderson into action for nan first clip aft Tyrick Mitchell was caught retired of position but Raúl Jiménez could only scuff nan rebound wide.
Palace had to hold until nan 32nd infinitesimal for their first show of extremity erstwhile Marc Guéhi was denied from adjacent scope by Bernd Leno. They were fixed a helping manus erstwhile Jorge Cuenca went down pinch a caput wounded aft a situation from Justin Devenny erstwhile location had appeared to beryllium minimal contact. He was ordered disconnected for curen by nan referee, Tony Harrington, and could only watch from nan sidelines arsenic Nathaniel Clyne was capable to prime retired Mateta astatine nan acold post, pinch Silva looking little than amused.
His temper would person soured further if Clyne and Will Hughes had taken their chances to widen Palace’s lead earlier nan break but some fired wide. A hamstring wounded to Kenny Tete forced Fulham into an early alteration successful nan 2nd half earlier Hughes was besides forced disconnected to adhd to Glasner’s wounded concerns.
Mateta should person been much alert to person a clever walk from nan outstanding Yeremy Pino that would person fixed Palace breathing space. Jiménez almost made them salary erstwhile his header from Antonee Robinson’s transverse struck nan post. Leno was fortunate to flight erstwhile he pushed nan shot connected to nan crossbar and Guéhi someway blocked Maxence Lacroix’s effort connected nan line.
It proved to beryllium a important infinitesimal arsenic Fulham recovered their equaliser aft a operation betwixt Robinson, Wilson and Cairney’s superb finish. Castagne should person settled it earlier Anderson was near pinch his caput successful his hands erstwhile his changeable pinch virtually nan past footwear of nan lucifer sailed into nan stands.
