Crystal Palace host Fulham at Selhurst Park on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in a Premier League London derby that looks finely balanced. Kick-off is at 17:30 GMT. Both sides are level on 26 points, sitting ninth and tenth respectively, which underlines how close this contest is expected to be.
Crystal Palace are coming off a mixed run of results but remain dangerous on the counter-attack. SoftFootball reported Palace’s fighting mentality in recent outings, including their European match where Late Devenny Header Earns Crystal Palace 2-2 Draw Against KuPS. Palace will aim to be compact defensively and hurt Fulham on the break, especially with their recent head-to-head success in this fixture.
Fulham arrive in better form, with three wins in their last five matches. They prefer to dominate possession and build attacks patiently, but their defence has shown weaknesses, conceding goals regularly. That could give Palace chances, especially if the home side scores first.
Crystal Palace FC also posted highlights on their official YouTube channel from the last time these teams met, when Palace beat Fulham 2-1. That result adds confidence ahead of this derby.
Team News
Crystal Palace will be without Ismaïla Sarr, who is away on AFCON duty. Chris Richards is being monitored but could feature. Fulham also have a few minor fitness concerns, but no major absences are expected.
Possible Lineups
Crystal Palace: Dean Henderson, Jefferson Lerma, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guéhi, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell, Justin Devenny, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Yéremy Pino.
Fulham: Bernd Leno, Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson, Sander Berge, Sasa Lukic, Harry Wilson, Emile Smith Rowe, Kevin, Raúl Jiménez.
SoftFootball also noted Palace’s recent defensive lessons from big matches, including when Arsenal Take the Lead as Saka Corner Forces Crystal Palace Own Goal, which could shape their approach here.
SoftFootball Prediction
This should be a close and low-scoring game. A 1-1 draw or a narrow Crystal Palace win looks the most likely outcome.
