Report & Highlights: Palace fall to defeat against Fulham

Summary:

• 21-year-old midfielder Devenny debuts, partnering Guéhi in injury-hit midfield.
• 14: Henderson stands tall to deny Nelson through on goal.
• 25: Lacroix makes fine last-ditch challenge to stop Smith Rowe running in on goal.
• 28: Guéhi heads wide under pressure from a corner.
• 33: Mateta heads wide from Devenny’s deep free-kick delivery.
• 43: Henderson’s strong hand denies Iwobi’s half-volley.
• 44: Andersen clears Mateta’s headed effort off the line.
• 45+2 – GOAL: Smith Rowe takes advantage of Palace error to put Fulham in the lead.
• HT: Palace 0-1 Fulham
• 48: Muñoz’s effort smothered by Leno; Devenny shoots over as Palace look to hit back.
• 52: Smith Rowe taps home from a Fulham counter, but VAR rules him offside.
• 57: Henderson denies Pereira twice in quick succession and Jimenez volleys over. - 69: Mateta’s low shot across goal is well held by Leno.
• 76 – RED CARD: Kamada is sent off for a high tackle.
• 83 – GOAL: Wilson comes on and squeezes a second in for Fulham.
• 89: Palace Academy graduate Kporha makes senior debut; Agbinone makes Selhurst debut.
• FT: Palace 0-2 Fulham

Having come through the absence of seven senior players against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, there were further issues ahead of Fulham’s visit to Selhurst Park, with Will Hughes suspended due to accumulation of yellow cards and Eddie Nketiah ruled out with a midweek injury.

Oliver Glasner reasoned that this would present opportunities to the wider squad – and 21-year-old midfielder Justin Devenny was handed his from the start, a competitive debut for Crystal Palace in midfield after captaining the Under-21s to great acclaim this season.

He was joined in midfield by captain Marc Guéhi; Nathaniel Clyne came into the backline as a result.

Well organised on the road, Fulham's prior five Premier League away games this season had seen just 11 goals scored – the third-fewest in the division – so it was little surprise that the first-half proved a cagey affair in South London.

With Devenny acquitting himself well and neither side allowing themselves to be played through easily, it took 14 minutes for the first real opportunity to arrive; some clever passing from Fulham saw Alex Iwobi poke through for Reiss Nelson to race onto, but Dean Henderson stood tall til the last second to kick the visiting forward’s effort away.

Palace were threatening in moments with Jean-Philippe Mateta relishing his aerial and physical duels with former teammate Joachim Andersen, but Fulham were producing the greater quality on the ball; only a last-ditch challenge on the slide from Maxence Lacroix denied Emile Smith Rowe a clean run on goal after 25 minutes.

There were half-chances to come to get the home fans off their feet: Guéhi came close to a second goal in two games with a back-post header which went wide, whilst Mateta also found space from Devenny’s deep free-kick delivery, but nodded over.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, a flurry of chances for both sides.

A threat throughout the first-half, it was Nelson’s clever run down the channel which set up Fulham’s first real clear opportunity, clipping his cross towards the back post where Iwobi volleyed goalwards; Henderson showed sharp reflexes to spring up and turn it over the bar.

Up the other end, and Palace could scarcely have gone closer: a teasing ball in from Ismaïla Sarr bounced invitingly for Mateta to attack, and although Bernd Leno managed to take much of the pace off his effort with his initial header, it was still trickling goalwards… until Andersen tracked back to clear off the line against his former side.

Then, a hammer blow on the stroke of half-time: Palace ceded possession playing out from the back and Raul Jimenez set Smith Rowe racing in on goal again, his low effort across Henderson nestling inside the bottom corner despite a touch from the ‘keeper.

Palace re-emerged after half-time well ahead of their opponents, and set about their task with real intent; Sarr’s poked pass found Daniel Muñoz through on goal. His shot was smothered by the onrushing Leno but came out to Devenny, who shot over – before Muñoz was then flagged offside.

But Fulham hit back – and Palace were grateful for a VAR reprieve for keeping them in the game. Smith Rowe was judged to be inches ahead of Tyrick Mitchell after-the-fact, tapping home from Iwobi’s low ball in.

The visitors continued to attack and were grateful for more brave ‘keeping from Henderson, blocking Andreas Pereira’s half-volley from close range and then – moments later – tipping his searing shot from 30 yards over the bar. From the subsequent corner, Jimenez’s volley across goal was not too far over.

Palace continued to compete energetically, Sarr and Daichi Kamada picking up some promising pockets of space and Mateta testing Leno’s handling with a low strike across goal.

But their task was made all the harder 15 minutes from the end when Kamada’s sliding tackle on Kenny Tete was judged to be too high, and the Japan international received a straight red card from referee Michael Salisbury.

Palace continued to attack in search of an equaliser, but were made to pay for their numerical disparity seven minutes from time when Harry Wilson – on as a late Fulham substitute – impacted the game immediately with a low finish beyond Henderson, sealing the points for the visitors.

Despite the disappointment, there was still two moments of pride to end the game with: 18-year-old wing-back Caleb Kporha came off the bench in the dying moments for his senior and Crystal Palace debut, whilst Asher Agbinone made his competitive Selhurst debut at the same time.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Chalobah, Lacroix, Guéhi, Clyne (Doucouré, 62), Devenny (Schlupp, 74), Kamada, Mitchell, Muñoz (Kporha, 89), Sarr (Agbinone, 89), Mateta.

Subs: Turner (GK), Matthews (GK), Ward, Richards, Marsh.

Fulham: Leno (GK), Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Pereira (Cairney, 82), Berge, Nelson (Wilson, 82), Smith Rowe (Reed, 89), Iwobi (Traoré, 89), Jimenez (Muniz, 75).

Subs: Benda (GK), Castagne, Sessegnon, Diop.

As It Happened