Crystal Palace Seek First Points Against Fulham
Crystal Palace head to Craven Cottage on Saturday still searching for their first win – and their first point – of the Premier League season, with new manager Pierre Sage already under early scrutiny.
Two games, two defeats, six goals conceded. The numbers tell a stark story. A 2–0 opening-day loss at Everton was followed by a bruising 4–1 reverse at home to Manchester City, exposing a fragile back line and an attack still struggling to find any rhythm.
Palace’s only goal so far? An own goal. For a side trying to establish a new identity under Sage, that blunt edge in the final third hangs over this trip to Fulham like a cloud.
Sage hit by injuries as selection problems mount
If the results have been harsh, the team news is even harsher.
Star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is out for around three weeks with a hamstring injury, stripping Palace of their primary focal point in attack at a time when they can least afford it. Ismaïla Sarr is also unavailable with a groin problem, having missed recent training in the wake of a collapsed move to Liverpool.
At the back, Chadi Riad remains a long-term absentee with a serious knee injury, denying Sage another defensive option in a team already leaking goals.
So the new manager goes into his third league game with a depleted core and a demanding away fixture. The margin for error is thin.
New faces ready to step in
There is at least a flicker of optimism in the form of fresh arrivals.
Ben Chilwell, Honest Ahanor, Quinten Timber, and Darío Osorio have all trained with the first team and are available to feature at Craven Cottage. Osorio, in particular, is expected to be involved early, with his pace and direct running out wide offering some much-needed attacking threat in the absence of Mateta and Sarr.
Sage may have to lean heavily on that new energy. With established options missing, the newcomers are not just squad depth – they are potential game-changers in a side desperate for a spark.
How Palace could line up
Given the injuries and recent arrivals, Palace’s starting XI is likely to carry a slightly experimental feel.
Predicted Crystal Palace lineup: Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Tomiyasu; Khalaili, Kamada, Wharton, Mitchell; McNeil, Larsen, Pino.
That setup hints at a back three, energetic wing-backs, and a front line built on movement rather than a traditional target man. It also underlines the scale of the rebuild Sage is trying to oversee on the fly, with system and personnel evolving under the pressure of early results.
Kick-off details
Fulham vs Crystal Palace kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday, 5 September at Craven Cottage.
Because of the 3pm blackout rule in the UK, the match will not be televised domestically.
So Palace travel without a win, without key forwards, and without the comfort of a full-strength squad. What they cannot afford to be without now is a response.
